©l|p  i.  B.  Bill  Ctbrarg 


JJnrtb  (Ilarolina  S»tate  (TnlUgf 


SF523 
1887 


148728 


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ONLY,  and  is  subject  to  a  fine  of  FIVE 
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day  indicated  below: 


stpyiMi 


50M— May-54 — Form    3 


tme:  new 


BEE-l(EEpER^'+TE](T+BOOl^ 


BY  THE  FORMER  EDITOR  OF  "THE  BEE-KEEPERS'  MAGAZINE.  " 

TWENTY-SIXTH  EDITION,  FIFTY-FOURTH  THOUSAND, 


BEING  A  THOROUGIj  REVISION  OF  THE  OLD  TEXT  BOOK. 
ENLARGED    AND    ILLUSTRATED. 


BARRYTOWN,  NEW  YORK  : 
ASPINWALL   &    TREAD  WELL. 

1887. 


Entered  according   to  Act  of  Congress,   in  the   year   1878,   by 
A.  J.  KING  &  CO. 
•In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington. 


TO 
BEE-KEEPERS   EVERY\VHEBE 

WHOSE    CHOSEN    PURSUIT   HE    WOULD    GLADLY    RENDER    STILL 
MORE    ATTRACTIVE,     PLEASANT,     AND    PROFITABLE, 
THIS    WORK    IS    PRESENTED 

BY     THE     AUTHOR. 


148728 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Arciiive 

in  2009  witin  funding  from 

NCSU  Libraries 


http://www.archive.org/details/newbeekeepersteOOking 


PREFACE. 


The  successful  cultivation  of  the  honey  bee,  depends  upon  a 
correct  knowledge  of  the  laws  bj  which  the  economy  of  the 
hive  is  regulated ;  comply  with  these  laws  and  you  reap  a  golden 
harvest— disregard  them  and  disappointment  and  loss  are  the 
certain  result. 

The  following  pages  are  designed  to  impart : 

1st.    A  knowledge  of  these  laws. 

2d.     Instruction  how  to  comply  with  their  requirements. 

3d.     Caution  against  their  violation. 

To  accomplish  these  ends  we  have  endeavored : 

Ist.  To  bring  the  language  within  the  comprehension  of  the 
man  of  limited  education  and  means,  to  whom  bee-keeping  com- 
mends itself  on  account  of  its  large  pecuniary  returns  for  the 
capital  and  attention  required. 

2d.  To  present  the  practical  part  of  the  subject  fully  and  yet 
briefly,  believing,  as  we  do,  that  condensation,  to  the  greatest 
possible  extent  consistent  with  a  full  exposition  of  the  subject, 
not  only  diminishes  the  cost  but  increases  the  value  of  a  work  of 
ihis  kind. 

3d.  To  convey  the  most  valuable  knowledge,  we  have  drawn 
from  every  available  source,  not  having  been  ambitious  to  write 
ft  work  purely  original.     Yet,  as  theories  are  worthless  unleftt 


VI  PRKJ'AOE. 

founded  in  truth,  we  have  only  accepted  facts  which  have  been 
demonstrated  by  eminent  apiarians,  and  confirmed  by  many 
years'  experience  of  our  own,  devoted  almost  exclusively  to  bee 
culture. 

In  our  investigations  in  apiarian  science,  we  have  received 
material  aid  from  the  writings  of  Huber,  Be  van,  Dzierzon, 
Quinby,  Harbison,  Langstroth,  Miner,  Metcalf,  "Wagner,  and 
many  others,  both  ancient  and  modem. 


PREFACE  TO  THE  REVISED  EDITION. 


The  size,  cost,  and  character  of  the  "Bee-Keepers'  Text  Book'' 
procured  for  it  a  great  circulation.  Simplicity  of  language,  clearness 
of  statement,  and  practical  directness  made  it  for  years  acceptable  to 
to  the  general  reader  and  a  real  hand  book  to  the  apiarian.  When  writ- 
ten it  was  abreast  of  the  times ;  but  new  discoveries  and  inventions  in 
apiculture  render  it  necessary  to  revise  the  book  so  as  to  furnish  all 
needed  information  to  thousands  now  entering  upon  this  promising 
industry. 

The  old  book  was  written  in  the  era  of  patents  and  partly,  in  the 
interest  of  the  American  Hive,  and  treated  partly  of  management  in 
common  box  hives.  Patents  on  important  parts  of  hives  are  now  ended, 
and  information  for  management  in  common  box  hives  is  not  now 
necessary. 

Many  good  movable  comb  hives  are  made  at  present  and  the  only 
need  now  is  for  a  text  book  to  guide  the  beekeeper  in  the  various  mani- 
pulations of  the  apiary  and  adapted  to  all  the  improvements  in  bee- 
keeping, which  is  destined  to  become  one  of  the  great  industries  of 
America.  Since  the  publication  of  the  old  book  the  invention  of  the 
Honey  Extractor,  and  the  successful  use  of  artificial  Comb-foundation 
have  materially  changed  the  mode  of  management  necessary  to  secure 
the  greatest  results.  In  addition  to  these  two  great  discoveries,  im- 
proved smokers,  feeders,  and  modes  of  securing  and  packing  honey  in 


Viii  PBEFACE    TO    THE    KEVISED   EDITION; 

boxes,  jars,  and  packages  best  suited  to  the  market,  are  of  such  import- 
ance that  we  now  issue 

THE  NEW  BEE-KEEPEBS'  TEXT  BOOK, 

in  which  all  that  is  good  in  the  old  book  is  retained;  that  which  has  been 
out-grown,  left  out;  and  additions  made,  covering  the  full  use  of  all  im** 
provements  in  bee-keeping  so  as  to  secure  the  very  best  results. 

We  confidently  commend  the  "New  Bee-keepers'  Text  Book"  to  all 
lovers  of  nature  and  all  interested  in  this  industry. 

The  beginner  will  find  in  it  just  such  information  and  guidance  as 
he  daily  needs,  and  the  advanced  apiarian  will  find  it  a  useful  hand- 
book and  companion. 

Barbytown,  N.  y.,  January  1st,  1887. 


INTRODUCTION. 


BEE-KEEPINO. 


The  culture  of  the  honej  bee  has  engaged  the  attention  of 
intelligent  and  enterprising  men  of  all  ages ;  yet  within  a  few 
years,  by  the  introduction  of  improved  movable  frames  and  other 
improvements,  this  pursuit,  always  attractive,  is  rendered  no 
longer  a  business  of  "luck"  or  chance,  but  as  certain  and  more 
remunerative,  with  small  capital,  than  any  other  rural  occupation. 

About  five  years  ago,  it  was  estimated,  in  the  "American 
Bee  Journal,"  that  there  were  then  seventy  thousand  betv 
keepers  in  the  United  States,  many  attending  to  several  apiaries, 
with  from  one  hundred  to  three  hundred  swarms  in  each,  and 
yet,  with  the  increasing  Ught  and  interest,  hundreds,  all  over  the 
country,  are  engaging  in  this  branch  of  industry.  In  the  mind 
of  the  uninformed  but  enquiring  reader,  a  few  questions  will 
arise,  which  we  will  here  only  briefly  notice,  as  he  can  refer, 
from  the  index,  to  each  subject — more  fully  treated  under  its 
appropriate  head. 

Is  there  not  danger  of  overstocking  the  country  f 

Says  M.  Quinby,  one  of  the  most  extensive  bee-keepers  in  the 
world,  "  this  interest  in  bees  should  be  encouraged  to  continue 
till  enough  are  kept  to  collect  all  the  honey  now  wasted,  which, 
ccmpared  with  the  present  collections,  would  be  more  than  a 
thousand  pounds  to  one." 


X  INTRODUCIION. 

Do  not  some  fail  of  success  in  bee-keeping  ? 

Yes,  just  as  the  farmer  fails  who  neglects  his  fences,  plowa 
his  lands  when  too  wet,  or  crops  them  until  their  fertihty  is 
exhausted.  So  in  bee-keeping.  Some  fail  through  gross  neglect, 
or  allow  their  bees  to  become  so  weakened  by  overswarming  as 
to  fall  an  easy  prey  to  the  moth ;  while  others  "  divide  "  till  they 
are  left  without  "quotient"  or  "remainder."  Let  us  profit  by 
their  experience,  and  prosperity  will  be  the  result. 

Is  not  watching  for  swarms^  hiving,  <fcc.,  perplexing  in  large 
apiaries  ? 

Yes :  and  you  will  find  a  complete  remedy  in  the  chapter  on 
"Nucleus  Swarming,"  which  enables  you  to  swarm  many  stocks 
at  one  time,  securing  to  each  new  swarm  a  fertile  queen,  without 
removing  the  old  queen  from  the  parent  stock  or  scarcely  inter- 
rupting its  labors.  By  this  method,  you  will  obtain  a  steady 
increase  of  stocks,  avoid  queenless  swarms  by  loss  of  young 
queens ;  thus,  all  colonies  are  kept  strong,  enabling  them  to  bid 
defiance  to  the  moth-miller  and  other  enemies.  This,  in  the 
words  of  an  eminently  practical  bee-keeper,  "is  both  sure  and 
economical;"  doing  away  with  all  watching  and  loss  by  flight  to 
the  woods. 

Is  it  true  that  there  are  only  a  few  who  understand  the  secret  of 
handling  or  ^^  charming  ^^  beesf 

That  there  are  a  few  who  claim  to  have  some  great  secret, 
and  convince  gaping  crowds  by  performing  tricks  and  wonder- 
ful [?]  feats  with  bees,  (not  forgetting  to  pocket  the  proceeds  of 
the  supposed  secret,)  we  readily  admit.  Yet,  it  is  also  true  that 
there  are  hundreds  of  successfiil  bee-keepers  in  the  United  States, 


INTRODUCTION.  XI 

who  esteem  the  good  of  the  cause  and  their  reputation,  of  more 
value  than  money  thus  obtained  from  the  uninformed,  and  freelv 
communicate  instruction  how  to  safely  perform  all  needful  opera- 
tions. One  of  them  says,  "  acquaint  yourself  with  the  principles 
of  management^  *  *  and  you  wiH  find  that  you  have  Httle 
more  reason  to  dread  the  sting  of  a  bee  than  the  horns  of  a 
favorite  cow,  or  the  heels  of  your  faithful  horse." 

WHO    SHOULD    KEEP    BEES? 

We  reply,  all  classes  who  want  a  healthy,  pleasant  and  profit- 
able occupation. 

Says  Rev.  Robert  Baird,  "there  are  few  portions  of  our 
country  which  are  not  admirably  adapted  to  the  culture  of  the 
honey  bee.  The  wealth  of  the  nation  might  be  increased  by 
millions  of  dollars,  if  every  family  favorably  situated,  would  keep 
a  few  hives.  No  other  branch  of  industry  can  be  named,  in 
which  there  need  be  so  Httle  loss  on  the  material  employed,  or 
which  so  completely  derives  its  profits  from  the  vast  and  exhaust- 
less  domains  of  nature." 

The  Farmer  should  keep  Bees  to  collect  the  honey  afforded  by 
his  orchards,  timber  lands  and  broad  pasture  fields ;  for  "  profit 
must  attend  success  in  this  branch  of  the  farmer's  stock,  inas- 
much as  bees  work  for  nothing  and  find  themselves." 

The  Mechanic  should  keep  Bees,  as  those  who  work  in  wood 
can  make  their  own  hives,  beside  supplying  their  neighbors; 
and  all  will  find  that,  for  the  httle  time  and  capital  required,  it 
win  materially  affect  their  expenses  and  income. 

The  Horticulturist  should  keep  Bees  to  gather  the   dehcious 


INTRODUCTION 


nectar  which  "would  else  be  lost  on  desert  air,"  and  also  to 
mingle  the  pollen  of  flowers,  for 


Trees  will  flourish  all  the  more. 
When  flowers  mate  by  rifled  store. 

The  Invalid^  bj  spending  a  portion  of  his  time  in  the  open 

air,  caring  for  his  bees,  will  not  only  find  his  purse  replenished, 

but.  what  is  better,  returning  health. 

He  who  with  health  would  live  at  ease, 
Should  cultivate  both  fruit  and  bees ; 
Much  labor  though  the  first  demands, 
The  second  's  for  more  feeble  hands. 

The  Merchant  and  Professional  Man,  and  all  who  spend  much 
of  their  time  indoors,  will  find  in  bee-keeping  a  pleasant,  health- 
iful  outdoor  pastime,  invigorating  to  both  mind  and  body. 

Those  who  own  no  land  may  keep  Bees.  In  raising  horses  or 
cattle,  one  must  own  or  hire  his  pasture  lands.  They  are  very 
serviceable,  but  they  must  be  fed.  Bees  require  but  httle  room, 
and  find  their  own  food ;  for  "  roam  where  they  will,  the  whole 
region  is  their  common." 

The  Aged,  and  in  short,  every  person,  who  wishes  to  engage  in 
a  hght  occupation,  which  will  secure  health,  ease  and  indepen- 
dence, should  give  this  subject  an  earnest  and  candid  examination 

Bees  multiply  rapidly,  and  one  who  has  ten  stocks,  may,  with 
■care,  soon  expect  to  have  a  hundred,  and  a  moderate  increase 
need  not  interfere  with  a  large  annual  harvest  of  honey. 

To  the  wants  of  what  class  of  mankind  has  not  the  Creator 
admirably  adapted  the  industry  of  this  insect,  and  how  eloquently 
this  adaptation  speaks  of  his  goodness,  wisdom  and  care  for  the 
welfare  of  his  creatures  ? 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 

• »  ^»...«^«^  .. — 

Page. 

C«Pious  Alphabetical  Index 13. 

Chapter  I.  Physiology  of  Bee.< 19 

Chapter  II.        Natural  Swarming 25 

Chapter  III.      Bee  Pasturage  and  Products 45 

Chapter  IV.       Extractors,  Comb  Foundations,  Surplus  Honey  in  Boxes  and 

Extracted,  Marketing  Honey 58 

Chapter  V.        Artificial  Swarming 94 

Chapter  VI.       The  Apiary 124 

Chapter  VII.     Diary  of  Honey  Plants 160 

Chapter  VIII.  Monthly  Management 181 

Chapter  IX.     Hives 20O 

Chapter  X.       Biography  of  Bee  Keepers 212 


ALPHABETICAL   INDEX. 

Absconding  Swarms,  26, 27— How  Prevented,  32— How  Captured 128 

Advantages  of  Bee  Keeping,  9 — Who  should  Keep  Bees,  11— Profits  of,  74 157 

Advantages  of  the  Nucleus  System  of  Swarming 105 

Advantages  Secured  in  the  Construction  of  Hives 201 

After  Swarming,  33— Cause  of  and  How  Prevented 34 

Age  of  Bees,  20— Queens,  20— Drones,  21— Worker 22 

Alsike   Clover 168 

Apiary,  124— Best  Location,  125— How  to  Stock  it,  127— Monthly  Management..  181 

Anger  of  Bees,  10 — How  Subdued 42 

Ants,  How  to  Banish  thetn  from  the  Apiary 143 

Artificial  Swarming — Time  for,95 — Different  Methods 97 

August  Management 194 

Bar  Hives  and  Bar  Frames  used  in  Germany 202 

Basswood  or  Linden  affords  much  Choice  Honey 46,51,  163 

Bee  Bread  or  Pollen,  51— Rye  Meal  Besi  Substitute  for 52 

Bee  Feeders 155 

Bee  Glue  or  Propolis 52 

Bee  Houses,  12G— A  Shed  Best  and  how  Constructed 126 

Bee  Keeping,  9 — Profits  of,  157 — How  to  Commence 128 

Bee  Pasturage,  45 — Crops  Most  Valuable  for  both  Seed  and  Honey 49 

Bee  Stings,  79 — How  to  Neutralize  the  Poison 44 


ziv  ALPHABETICAL  INDEX. 

Bee's  Tongue 78 

Bee  Veii f. 44,  84 

Bees,  Three  Classes,  19— Worker,  22— Queen,  21— Her  Fertilization,  32— Her 

Loss,  35 — Signs  of 56 

Bees,  Killing  with  Brimstone  to  Obtain  Honey 201 

Bees,  Natun  \  Swarming,  25 — Hiving,  21 — How  to  Prevent  them  from  Leaving 

the  Hive,  32— Wintering 146 

Bees  Wild,  How  to    Hunt  Them,  130— How  to  Trap  Robbers  or  Wild  Bees 

Without  Finding  the  Tree 133 

Bees,  Italian,  107— Superiority  of,  109— How  to  Change  Stocks  of  Common 

Black  Bees  to  Italians 114 

Bees,  Monthly  Managent  of,   181 — Quieting  and    Handling,  42 — Moving,  135 

—Transferring  Bees  and  Combs  into  Frame  Hives 136,138 

Beeswax  Extractor 60,  89 

Bellows  Smoker 43 

Borage 175 

Boneset  or  Thoroughwort 176 

Biography  of  Bee  Keepers „ 212,  229 

Boxes  for  Surplus  Honey,  63 — How  to  Induoe  the  Bees  to  Commence  and 

Continue  Working  in  them 66 

Breeding 23 

Buckwheat  a  Valuable  Pasturage,  47 — Tim,e  of  Sowing 50 

Buying  Bees,  How  to  Select  Valuable  Stock 127 

Cage  for  Queen, 122 

Candy  as  Food  for  Bees  in  Winter, 153 

Catnip  as  a  Honey  Crop, 46 — 51 

Catnip,  Motherwort  and  Hoarhound, 175 

Caution  to  the  Beginner, &4 

Cells,  different  size  of  Drone  and  Worker,  24— Royal  Cells 102 

Cocoon  spun  by  Young  Bee  as  left  in  the  Cell, 56 

Colony,  if  Prosperous,  consists  of, 19 

Color  of  Hives, 205 

Comb  Foundation,  61— How  to  Fasten  in  Frame,  87— Advantage  of  Using  it, 88 

Comb,  Composition  of,  52 — To  secure  it  Built  True  in  Frames, 54 

Comb,  Drone  and  Worker,  24, 100 — To  Preserve  from  Moth, 144 

Comb,  only  Defective  to  be  Removed,  56 — Melting  into  Wax 57 

City  Bee  Keeping, 71 

Consumption  of  Honey, 74 

Cultivating  Honey  Crops, 49 

Dampness  Injurious  to  Bees, 56,  151 

December  Management, 198 

Defective  Combs, 56 

Dedication, 3 

Deformed  Cells 7^ 


ALPHABETICAL  INDEX.  xt 

Derivation  of  word  Bee, 76 

Description  of  New  Improvements, 86 

Diary  of  Honey  Plants, 160,  180 

Dividing, 97 

Doubling  Stocks  Yearly  by  Nucleus  Swarming, 106 

Driving  or  Forced  Swarming 97 

Drones,  21— Drone  Comb,  2-1,  100— Drone  Cells, 77 

Eggs,  Number  Laid,  20 — How  Fecundated,  21 — Time  to  Mature, 24 

February  Management, 182 

Feeding  Bees 153 

Fertility  of  Queen,  20 — Decreases  with  Age,  37 — Italian  most  Prolific 109 

Fertilization  of  Young  Queens, 82 

Fertilization  in  Confinement, 210 

Flowers  for  Bees, 46 

Flour  a  Substitute  for  Pollen. 52 

Foul  Brood, 209 

Frames,  Moveable,  their  Inventionand  Improvement 202 

Fruit  Trees .160 

Fruit  Tree'Flowers  Valuable  to  Induce  Early  Swarming 24,  45 

Golden  Rod  and  Asters, 171,  175 

Handling  Bees, 42 

Hatching  and  Fertilization  of  Queens 32 

Hives,  2(X)— Hive  Essentials, 203 

Honey  Boxes, 63 

Honey  Comb, 77 

Honey  Crate, 67 

Honey  Crops, 49 

Honey,  Diflferent  Qualities  Gathered,  4-5— Stored  in  Frames,  129— In  Boxes, 200 

Honey  Extractor,  59,  60— Advantages  of 91 

Honey  Industry, 74 

How  to  Prevent  Swarms  from  Leaving  their  Hives, 32 

How  to  Prevent  Swarms  from  Clustering  together, 29 

How  to  Separate  Them, 30 

How  to  get  the  Comb  Built  True  in  the  Frame, 54 

How  to  Stock  an  Apiary, 127 

Hunting  Wild  Bees,  130— Trapping  Them 133 

Introduction, 9 

Introducihg  an  Italian  Queen 115,  117 

Increase  of  Stocks 15 

Impregnation  of  Queen  Bee 20,33,  103 

Importance  of  New  Blood  in  the  Apiary Ill 

Italian  Honey  Bee '. 107 

Italian  Queen  Rearing ....114,  118,  120 

Italianizing  a  Whole  Apiary 116 


XTi  ALPHABETICAL  INDEX. 

January  Management 181 

June  Management 190 

July  Management 192 

Locust  Tree  a  Great  Honey  Producer 46 

Loss  ofQueens,  35 — Signs  of. 37 

Lucerne  Clover .1 169 

Making  Hives  in  Winter 204 

March  Management 184 

May  Management 188 

Marketing  Honey 67 

Medicinal  Power  of  Honey 73 

Melilot 170 

Melting  Comb  into  Wax 57 

Mingonette 177 

Moth-Miller,  Fear  Misdirected 142 

Monthly  Managment 181 

Movable  Comb  Hive 203 

Moving  Bees 125 

Mustard 46,50,178 

Natural  Swarming 25 

Non-Swarming 41 

November  Management .*. 198 

Nucleus  Swarming,  101 — Advantages  of 105 

Observation  Hive 206 

October  Managment 196 

Ovaries  of  the  Queen  Bee 81 

Over  Stocking 47 

Painting  Hives 205 

Perennial  Plants 167 

Piping  of  Young  Queens 34 

Pollen,  or  Bee  Bread 51 

Poplar  or  Tulip  Tree  Secretes  much  Honey 46 

Preface 5 

Preface  to  the  Revised  Edition 7 

Prevention  of  Swarming 41 

Profits  of  the  Apiary 156 

Propolis  or  Bee  Glue , 52 

Purchasing  Bees 127 

Queen  Bee,  19— Hatching  and  Fertilization  of,  33— Loss  of. .' 35 

Queen  Cage,  122— Queen  Cell,  77-80— How  Transferred 102 

Queenless  Stocks,  35— Signs .'je 

Quieting  Bees 42 

Raspberries  Yield  Much  Fine  Honey 46,  162 

Removing  Honey  Boxe3 94 


ALPHABETICAL  INDEX.  xvii 

Removing  Defective  Comb 56 

Robbing,  140— Trapping  Robbers  or  Wild  Bees 133 

Royal  Cells,  26,33, 162— Royal  Jelly • 25 

Raising  Italian  Queens  as  a  Business 11 

Rye  Meal  Best  Substitute  for  Pollen  to  Induce  Early  Breeding 52 

Second  and  Third  Swarms  or  After  Swarms 33 

September  Management 195 

Shipping  Queens 122 

Stands 124,  125 

Smoke  to  Quiet  Bees 43 

Small  Fruits 1G2 

Small  Boxes  for  the  Nuclei, 119 

Southern  Honey  Trees 163 

Sour-Wood  or  Sorrel-Tree 165 

Stings,  How  to  Neutralize  the  Poison 44 

Statistics  of  the  Honey  Industry 74 

Surplus  Honey,  105 — In  Boxes 89 

Swarming  Natural,  25 — Signs  of,  27— Prevention  of. 41 

Swarming  Artificial,  95— Nucleus 109 

Taking  Bees  on  Shares 128 

Taking  up  Light  Stock 129 

Tansy  to  Banish  Ants 143 

The  Sumac 166 

Teasel 175 

The  Circular  Saw 206 

Title  Page 1 

Transferring  Bees  and  Comb  from  Box  Hives 136-138 

Trees  for  Pasturage,  48— For  Shade 125 

Uncapping  Knife 59' 

Uniting  Stocks 39 

Uses  of  Honey  68. 

Ventilation 147,  197 

View  of  our  Home  Apiary .' 76 

Wax 57 

White  Clover,  45 — As  a  Honey  Crop ,, 49- 

Who  Should  Keep  Bees '. 11 

Wire  Foundation 55 

WiHtering  Bees 145,  152 

Worker  Cells 77 

Worker  Bee,  22— Worker  Com') 24 

Worms  144,  145 

Wren 143. 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Abdomen  of  Worker  Bee  Magnifled 53 

Alsike  Clover 168 

Bass-wood 164 

Bee's  Sting 79 

Bee's  Tongue —    78 

Bees- wax  Extractor 60 

Bellows  Smoker 43 

Blue  Aster 174 

Body  of  Bee 82 

Brood  Comb ..a. 26 

Circular  Saw 208 

Comb  Foundation  Machine .^ 62 

Eggs  Shown  in  the  Cells 80 

Fertile  Queen 33 

Golden  Rod 172 

Honey  Comb 77 

Honey  Crate 67 

Honey  Extractor 58 

Honey  in  Boxes  and  Bottles 68 

Larvae  and  Royal  Jelly 80 

Leg  of  Bee 82 

Male  and  Female  Moth  Miller 142 

Melilot 171 

Oblong  Munn  Frame 203 

Ovaries  of  the  Queen  Bee 81 

Portrait  of  W.  W.  Cary 225 

Portrait  of  Rev.  Father  Dzierzon 227 

Portrait  of  Francis  Huber 213 

Portrait  of  Rev.  H.  A.  King 220 

Portrait  of  Prof.  Leuckart 224 

Portrait  of  Rev.  L.  L.  Langstroth 218 

Portrait  of  Moses  Quinby 216 

Portrait  of  Rev.  E.  Van  Slyke :   229 

Portrait  of  Baron  Von  Berlepsch 221 

Portrait  of  Capt.T.  B.  Siebold 222 

Queen  Cells 32 

Queen  Cell  Cut  Open 80 

Queen  Cell  Inserted 102 

Queen  Drone  and  Worker  Bee 19 

Taylor's  Frame 202 

Transfering  Tools 136 

Uncapping  Knife 69 

View  of  our  Home  Apiary 1 76 


CHAPTER  I. 

PHYSIOLOGY  OF  THE  THREE  CLASSES. 

A  PKOSPEROUS  colony  of  bees,  at  the  beginning  of  the  "  swarm 
ing  season,"  consists  of  a  fertile  queen,  a  few  hundred  drones 
and  about  forty  thousand  workers.  The  annexed  cuts  will  give 
a  fair  representation  of  the  three  classes  into  which  this  insect 
community  is  divided. 


The  Queen  is  a  perfectly  developed  female,  and  the  prolific 
parent  of  the  whole  colony — the  mother  of  every  bee  it  con- 
tains. "  Mother  Bee "  is  her  most  appropriate  and  truthful 
name,  as  laying  eggs  appears  to  be  the  sole  end  of  her  existence, 
and  the  only  duty  she  performs.  This  fact  is  beautifully  demon- 
strated by  removing  a  native  queen  and  introducing  an  Italian 
queen  in  her  stead.  If  the  change  is  made  in  November,  few 
common  bees  will  remain  by  the  following  May ;  or  if  made  in 
June,  the  yellow  workers  will  begin  to  appear  in  a  few  weeks, 

D.  H.  HILL  LIBRARY 
North  Carolina  Sfate  College 


20  PHYSIOLOGY    OF    THE    THREE    CLASSES. 

and  by  September  scarcely  a  black  bee  can  be  found  in  the  hive. 
In  the  height  of  honey  gathering,  and  under  the  most  favorable 
circumstances  the  queen  will  deposit  about  three  thousand 
egga  per  day.  She  is  distinguished  from  the  other  bees  by  her 
form,  color  and  size,  being  longer  and  darker  colored  upon  the 
back  than  either  drone  or  worker.  But  the  Itahan  queen  is 
much  hghter  colored  than  either  the  Italian  drone  or  worker,  the 
larger  part  of  her  body  being  of  a  golden  yellow. 

The  queen  is  of  slender  structure,  with  comparatively  short 
wings,  and  is  usually  recognized  by  her  measured  matronly 
movements  and  her  long,  finely  tapered  abdomen. 

She  usually  Hves  from  three  to  four  years.  If  her  death 
occur  when  there  are  drones  in  the  apiary  and  young  worker 
brood  or  eggs  in  the  hive,  or  if  she  is  soon  to  leave  the  hive  with 
a  first  swarm,  the  workers  construct  large  cells,  supplying  them 
with  "royal  jeUy,"  and  the  eggs  or  larvas  that  would  otherwise 
have  produced  worker  bees  are  developed  into  queens.  Only 
one  queen  is  allowed  to  remain  in  the  hive.  The  queen  has  a 
curved  Sving,  but  will  use  it  only  when  contending  with  rival 
queens,  as  she  cannot  tolerate  a  rival  within  the  hive.  Eggs  are 
sometimes  laid  by  the  young  queen  before  her  impregnation,  but 
they  invariably  produce  drones.  She  usually  leaves  the  hive 
when  about  five  days  old  to  meet  the  drones  in  the  air  for  im- 
pregnation, which — once  accomplished — sufl&ces  for  hfe,  as  ordi- 
narily she  never  afterwards  leaves  the  hive  except  when  accom- 
panying a  first  swarm.  The  drone  semen  or  sperm  is  retained 
in  the  spermatheca  of  the  queen,  a  smaU  sac  near  the  point  of 
her   abdomen,  and  when   laying,  as   the  egg   passes  from  the 


THE    DRONE.  21 

queen  s  ovary,  it  is  brought  in  contact  with  the  drone  Eperm  to 
produce  workers,  or  is  allowed  to  pass  without  such  contact  to 
produce  drones,  the  same  as  eggs  laid  before  her  impregnation. 
Some  have  supposed  this  contact  to  be  puDduced  by  compression 
of  the  queen's  abdomen,  caused  by  the  size  of  the  cells  in  which 
workers  are  reared,  they  being  much  smaller  than  drone  cells. 
This  theory  is  disproved  by  the  fact  that  a  stock  deprived  of  its 
drone-comb,  will  sometimes  rear  drones  in  worker  cells ;  besides, 
in  comb-building,  the  queen  will  frequently  deposit  eggs  in  the 
cells  while  their  walls  are  scarcely  an  eighth  of  an  inch  long  and 
couid  cause  no  pressure. 

THE    DRONE. 

"  The  drones  are  the  males,  and  do  not  work  for  the  support  of 
the  hive,  but  lead  an  idle  life,  feeding  upon  the  produce  of  others' 
labor. ^' — Richardson. 

The  drones  are  more  bulky,  though  somewhat  shorter,  than 
the  queen,  and,  unlike  her,  their  wings  are  long  enough  to  cover 
ine  entire  abdomen.  They  are  much  larger  than  the  workers, 
and  have  a  clumsy,  uncouth  appearance.  When  flying,  their 
loud,  boisterous  hum  is  easily  recognized.  Being  without  a  sac 
for  carrying  honey  or  grooves  on  their  thighs  for  pollen,  they  are 
physically  disqualified  for  performing  any  labors  of  the  hive. 
Their  proboscis  is  too  short  for  extracting  the  nectar  from  flow- 
ers, and  being  destitute  of  a  sting,  they  cannot  assist  in  protect- 
ing the  stores  from  robbery.  They  are  called  into  existence  at 
the  approach  of  the  swarming  season  to  fertilize  the  young 
queens.      As  impregnation  is  effected  while  on  the  wing,   the 


22  PHYSIOLOGY    OF    THE    THREE    Oa^ASSES. 

droues  leave  the  hive  in  consideraole  numbers  about  noon,  on 
fine  days,  and  the  young  queens  make  their  excursions  soon  af- 
ter. Wlienever  this  service  is  supposed  to  be  accomplished  for 
the  season,  they  are  relentlessly  driven  forth  and  destroyed  by 
the  workers.  A  stock  of  bees  that  has  lost  its  queen  and  failed 
to  rear  another,  will  retain  drones  after  all  others  are  destroyed, 
and  frequently  throughoat  the  winter.  Without  drones  the 
young  queens  would  remain  barren,  and  the  race  soon  become 
extinct.  The  number  of  drones  in  a  hive  is  often  very  large, 
amounting  to  hundreds  and  even  thousands.  In  a  state  of  na- 
ture, or  where  but  one  or  two  hives  are  kept,  a  greater  propor- 
tion of  drones  are  necessary  as  the  young  queen,  when  making 
her  "bridal  trip,''  should  be  sure  of  a  speedy  meeting,  for,  when 
roaming  long  in  search  of  one,  she  is  more  liable  to  accidents. 
Where  several  colonies  are  kept,  if  each  rear  a  few  dozen  drones 
there  will  be  enough,  in  the  aggregate,  for  all  practical  purposes. 
In  movable  comb  hives  all  excess  of  drone  comb  should  be 
removed,  and  the  production  of  useless  consumers  thus  pre 
vented. 

THE    WORKER. 

The  workers,  although  the  most  diminutive  m  size  of  the  three 
classes,  are  aUke  the  wonder  and  admiration  of  the  student  ot 
nature. 

When  we  consider  their  unvarying  God  implanted  instincts, 
whether  displayed  in  hoarding  rich  stores  for  future  use,  in  their 
matchless  architectural  skill,  as  seen  in  comb-building,  or  in  their 
entire  devotion  to  the  welfare  of  the  queen  and  her  numerous, 


BREEDING.  23 

matuniig  progeny,  we  are  constrained  to  regard  them  as  tlie 
most  wonderful  class  of  this  insect  family.  The  average  age  of 
the  worker  is  but  a  few  w  ceks  during  summer,  and  from  six  to 
nine  months  dunng  the  cooler  part  of  the  year. 

As  regards  the  sex  of  the  workers,  modern  writers  agree  in 
classing  them  as  undeveloped  females.  They  are  incapable  of 
fertihzation  by  the  drone,  yet,  occasionally  in  queenless  colonies, 
one  will .  be  found  laying  eggs,  which,  being  unfertilized,  nevei 
produce  workers  but  drones  only. 

This  laying  need  not  be  mistaken  as  the  work  of  a  fertile  queen, 
for,  unhke  her  uniform  laying,  these  eggs  are  deposited  regard- 
less of  order,  some  cells  containing  several  and  others  none.  The 
bees  destroy  the  excess,  and  the  remaining  eggs  produce  perfect 
drones. 

The  workers  are  so  well  known  that  a  minute  description 
would  seem  superfluous  in  a  Hand  Book.  Upon  them  devolves 
all  the  labor  of  collecting  and  defending  the  stores,  building 
comb,  feeding  and  protecting  the  queen  and  brood,  and  expelling 
the  drones  when  they  are  no  longer  necessary  to  the  well-being 
of  the  colony.  In  short,  they  rule  and  regulate  the  whole  econ- 
omy of  the  hive,  performing  all  its  offices  except  those  which 
have  direct  referonce  to  the  reproduction  of  the  species. 

BREEDING. 

The  yield  of  honey  strength  of  the  colony,  the  season  of  the 
year,  and  other  circumstances  have  considerable  influence,  bot.h 
on  the  amount  of  brood  reared  and  the  time  required  for  its  de- 
velopment    In  this  latitude,  the  average  time  from  the  lajing  if 


24  PHYSIOLOGY  OF  THE  THREE  CLASSES. 

the  egg  to  the  appearance  of  the  perfect  insect,  is,  for  the  work 
er,  twenty-one  dajs;  for  the  drone,  twenty-four;  and  for  the 
queen,  about  sixteen  days.  The  cells,  in  which  the  workers  are 
reared,  are  the  smajlest  in  size,  those  for  drones  nearly  one-third 
larger,  and  a  queen  cell  still  larger  and  of  pecuhar  forui,  requir- 
ing as  much  material  for  its  construction  as  fifty  worker  cells.  In 
strong  colonies,  having  plenty  of  stores,  the  queen  will  often  de- 
posit eggs  in  every  month  of  the  year,  the  least  brood  being 
reared  between  October  and  January.  During  this  time  the 
brood  often  occupies  a  small  circle  in  the  centre  of  the  cluster  of 
bees  exactly  opposite  on  each  side  of  a  comb.  Smaller  circles 
are  next  occupied  in  the  two  adjoining  combs.  The  circle  of 
eggs  in  the  first  comb  is  then  enlarged,  and  more  added  in  the 
others,  continuing  to  spread  to  other  combs,  keeping  the  distance 
from  the  centre  or  place  of  beginning  to  the  outside  of  the  circle 
about  equal  on  all  sides.  The  effect  of  this  is  to  produce  a  con- 
centration and  economy  of  the  animal  heat  for  developing  the 
various  changes  of  the  brood.  On  the  approach  of  spring,  an 
increased  amount  of  brood  is  reared,  and  as  early  spring  flowers 
appear  the  bees  go  to  work  in  earnest,  to  provide  hmpid  honey 
and  freshly  gathered  pollen  for  the  queen  and  her  numerous  off- 
spring. When  the  fruit  trees  unfold  their  pink  and  snowy  blos- 
soms, rich  supphes  are  garnered  by  the  busy  throng  of  workers. 
Breeding  goes  on  apace.  The  latent  swarming  impulse  begina 
to  be  felt,  and  if  the  weather  continues  warm  and  balmy,  we  soon 
arrive  at  the  swarming  season. 


CHAPTER  IL 

NATURAL    8WARMINO. 

The  swarming  season  is  one  of  unusual  interest  to  the  bee- 
keeper. He  hopes  soon  to  commence  his  annual  harvest  both  oi 
swarms  and  surplus  honej.  The  issue  of  natural  swarms  is  al- 
most wholly  dependent  upon  continued  warm  growing  weather. 
June  is  the  great  swarming  month  in  the  northern  States.  Yet, 
when  the  spring  is  unusually  favorable,  we  get  an  occasional 
swarm  as  early  as  the  middle  of  May,  and  many  about  the  last 
of  that  month.  Again,  swarming  may  not  commence  until  July. 
Bees  will  often  rear  drones,  construct  queen  cells,  and  be  just  on 
ihe  point  of  swarming,  when  a  few  days  of  bad  weather  will 
cause  the  drones  and  embryo  queens  to  be  destroyed,  and  swarm- 
ing to  be  postponed  indefinitely.  As  much  time  must  be  spent 
in  preparation  when  this  occurs,  it  will  require  several  weeks  be- 
fore swarms  can  issue,  though  the  weather  be  never  so  favorable. 

Bees,  Hke  some  human  beings,  seem  most  discontented  when 
most  prosperous.  If  the  season  is  favorable,  the  May  flowers 
will  scarcely  have  appeared  till  the  swarming  fever  begins  in- 
stinctively to  steal  over  the  colony,  aJBfecting  equally,  perhaps, 
both  queen  and  workers.  The  first  step  of  preparation. taken  is 
the  wjaring  of  drones,  by  an  early  deposit  of  eggs  in  the  drone 
cells  by  the  queen.     As  these  mature  and  the  "  lusty  fellows  " 


26 


NATURAL    SWABMING. 


throng  the  entrance,  if  the  weather  is  warm  and  pastmage  abund 
ant,  a  few  queen  cells  will  be  commenced  at  dififerent  times  by 
the  workers.  These,  in  most  cases,  are  suspended  from  the  edge* 
or  mequahties  of  the  combs,  with  their  open  end  downward. 
From  three  to  ten  queen  cells  are  commonly  constructed,  and  the 
egg  or  larvae,  is  lavishly  supplied  with  "royal  jelly,"  a  pungent, 
stimulating,  hght  cream-colored  substance,  when  the  cell  is  fiirthei 
lengthened  down  and  sealed  over.  It  is  now  about  an  inch  long, 
and  resembles  a  pea-nut  in  shape  and  appearance.  In  movable 
comb  hives,  these  queen  cells  are  easily  found  by  looking  over 
the  combs  about  the  time  swarms  are  expected.     You  can  hardly 


mistake  them  even  though  you  never  saw 
0""C^iy^"'i  ^Frai^^  °^®  before.     It  is  better  to  swarm  bees 

artificially  and  not  wait  for  natural 
swarming.  But  since  bees  (will)  some- 
times swarm  when  carefully  managed, 
and  since  beekeepers  are  sometimes  un- 
able for  some  reason  to  give  attention 
before  they  swarm,  all  should  understand 
the  indications  of  swarming  and  the 
modes  of  hiving  sw^arms.  Bees  are  not 
apt  to  swarm  before  the  hive  is  strong  in 
numbers,  young  bees  are  hatching  in 
abundance,  drones  are  flying,  and  the 
weather  is  pleasant.  These  are  not,  how- 
from*UhichThrqLeon'im8ju!?em^  ever,  surc  indications  of  swarming. 


4.  This  cut  reprcBents  brood  in  various 
Btages  from  eggs  and  larva  in  the  lower 
part  of  the  comb  to  brood  capped  at  K, 
and  just  eniergidpr  at  r;  n,  is  a  queen 
cell  juBt  commenced  from   larvre;  b,  a 


HITING    BEES  27 

The  pi  ogress  of  these  cells  is  the  only  certain  indication  of 
swarming,  and  when  one  or  more  have  been  capped  over,  th^ 
swarm  is  ready  to  leave  for  its  new  and  sometimes  distant  home. 
The  first  warm,  clear  day  is  generally  improved,  when  the  mass 
of  workers,  after  hastily  fiUing  their  sacs  with  provisions  for  their 
journey,  rush  "pell  mell"  from  the  hive,  accompanied  by  the 
queen,  with  great  "noise  and  confusion." 

After  flying  a  short  time,  they  usually  cluster  upon  some  over- 
hanging branch,  more  or  less  elevated.  Hives  should  be  kept  in 
readiness,  as  success  depends  greatly  upon  promptness  in  hiving 
swarms  as  they  issue,  for,  if  left  hanging  in  the  heat  of  the  sun, 
th»y  soon  become  impatient  and  often  fly  off"  and  are  lost  in  con 
sequence. 

HIVING    BEES. 

The  process  of  hiving  is  extremely  simple  fxnd  pretty  generally 
understood ;  if  the  new  hive  is  cool  and  clean  the  bees  are  not 
slow  in  taking  possession.  If  the  swarm  has  clustered  upon  a 
bush  or  tree  near  the  ground,  spread  down  a  sheet  or  piece  oi 
canvas  directly  under  or  as  near  the  swarm  as  practicable. 
If  a  table  will  bring  the  hive  very  near  the  cluster  use  one. 
Eemove  the  cover  and  qnilt  and  shake  the  bees  directly  into  the 
hive  if  convenient.  If  not,  jar  the  bees  in  front  of  the  hive 
after  opening  the  front  entrances,  or  raising  the  hive  an  inch  from 
the  bottom  board,  leaving  no  opening  beneath,  which  they  may 
mistake  for  the  hive,  and  guide  them  to  the  entrance  with  a  twig. 
Home  will  soon  discover  the  new  home,  and  by  their  joyful 
hum    communicate    the    glad    tidings    to    the    whole    swarm.     Hav- 


^8  NATURAL   SWARMING. 

iiig  filled  themselves  with  honey  before  leaving  the  old  hive,  they 
are  usually  peaceable  and  almost  as  harmless  as  flies.  If  they 
should  clog  the  entrance,  disturb  them  gently  with  the  feather 
end  of  a  quill,  and,  if  any  cluster  upon  the  outside,  brush  them 
down  and  see  that  all  enter  lest  the  queen  be  left  out.  Now,  let 
the  hive  down  upon  the  board,  and  immediately  carry  it  to  the 
place  it  is  intended  to  occupy  in  the  apiary.  Raise  the  front 
edge  half  an  inch,  and  shade  the  hive  from  the  sun.  The  few 
bees  left  flying  will  soon  return  to  the  old  stock  from  which  the 
swarm  issued.  But  if  the  swarm  is  left  where  it  was  hived  till 
evemng,  many  bees  will  have  commenced  gathering  honey,  and, 
having  carefully  marked  their  new  location,  will,  as  they  fly  ©ut, 
the  next  morning  return  to  this  place  and  perish.  If  a  swarm 
should  cluster  upon  a  high  limb  or  body  of  a  tree,  ascend  upon  a 
ladder  and  shake  or  brush  them  into  a  basket,  and  cover  it  over 
with  a  cloth  to  prevent  their  flying.  The  basket  may  be  lowered 
with  a  cord  to  an  assistant,  or  brought  down,  and  gently  poured 
upon  the  sheet  at  the  entrance  of  the  hive.  When  the  swarm 
nas  clustered  u"pon  a  small  hmb,  it  may  be  carefully  severed  with- 
out disturbing  the  cluster,  and  carried  to  the  hive.  Hold  them 
to  t1ie  entrance  until  some  discover  the  hive,  when  all  will  gladly 
enter. 

If  a  swarm  cluster  in  some  inaccessible  place,  as  the  forks  of  a 
tree,  they  may  often  be  induced  to  enter  a  box  inverted  above 
them,  by  smoking  or  shghtly  sprinkling  them  with  water,  or  by 
partly  covering  the  box  to  make  it  resemble  the  entrance  to  a 
hive,  brush  a  few  in  and  they  will  soon  call  m  the  whole  swaria. 
From  the  box  they   are  shaken  directly  into  the  hive,  or  made  to  enter 


TO   PREVENT   SWABMS   CLUSTERINa   TOGETHEB.  29 

from  the  raised  front  as  before.  A  hiving  basket  is  easily  made  by  taking 
a  small  basket  and  covering  one  side  of  the  top  with  cloth.  To  the 
handle  and  the  rim  of  the  covered  side  of  the  basket  a  handle  is  fixed 
which  may  be  lengthened  by  fixing  to  it  pieces  of  different  lengths.  This 
is  raised  directly  under  the  swarm  and  the  bees  jarred  from  the  limb  into 
it  and  then  poured  into  the  hive.  In  this  way  hiving  is  quickly 
accomplished;  and  dispatch  in  hiving  is  important,  as  in  very 
large  apiaries,  if  natural  swarming  is  permitted,  much  difficuky 
is  often  experienced  from  two  or  more  swarms  issuing  about  the 
same  time,  when,  unless  prevented,  they  are  almost  certain  tc 
unite.  It  is  some  trouble  to  separate  them  and  have  a  queen  for 
each.  Therefore,  when  many  swarms  are  expected,  the  apiary 
should  be  closely  watched. 

TO    GUARD    AGAINST    SWARMS   CLUSTERING    TOGETHER. 

At  times,  the  swarming  fever  seems  to  be  contagious.  One 
swarm  will  scarcely  have  settled  till  another  stock,  and  another, 
wiU  send  forth  their  crazy  legions  to  darken  the  air  and  make 
"confusion  worse  confounded.''  The  watchful  bee-keeper  will 
judge  from  the  state  of  the  weather  and  the  condition  of  his 
stocks,  when  these  things  are  likely  to  happen.  While  a  swarm 
is  issuing,  if  other  colonies  "  hang  out "  threateningly,  he  should 
immediately  sprinkle  these  outsiders  with  water,  or  blow  a 
few  whiflfs  of  smoke  into  each  hive.  This  will  shghtly  discon- 
cert them,  and  probably  give  time  for  hiving  the  swarm  already 
j>'it.     If|  however,  one  should  start  when  the  first  is  but  partially 


50  NATURAL    SWARMING. 

hived,  let  liiin  quickly  cover  it  with  a  sheet  to  prevent  a  union,  and 
give  his  attention  to  the  new  comers.  These  must  now  be  hived  ; 
and  when  mostly  in,  if  no  others  have  started,  uncover  the  first, 
that  the  stragglers  flying  may  be  divided  between  the  two.  But, 
should  the  second  swarm  start  before  the  first  has  settled,  he  will 
hardly  prevent  their  clustering  together.  After  a  swarm  has 
etarted  it  is  impossible  to  check  it,  without  closing  the  entrance, 
which  would  be  a  dangerous  and  often  fatal  experiment.  Beside, 
the  queen  may  have  been  among  the  first  to  start,  and  she  would 
be  a  serious  loss. 

When  two  swarms  unite,  if  the  bee-keeper's  time  is  precious 
and  his  hive  large  enough,  he  may  hive  them  together.  When 
put  in  the  movable  comb  hive,  give  such  double  swarms  access 
to  the  surplus  boxes  immediately.  They  will  usually  store  about 
one-third  more  surplus  honey  than  a  single  swarm,  but  they  will 
be  worth  no  more  at  the  end  of  the  season,  than  each  would  have 
been  had  they  remained  separate.  Hence,  if  the  swarms  are 
early  and  large,  and  the  weather  continues  favorable,  it  is  better 
to  divide  the  swarm  at  the  end  of  a  week.  (See  "  Nucleus 
Swarming.")  However,  if  a  movable-comb  hive  is  not  at  hand, 
it  will  pay  to  take  some  trouble 

TO  SEPARATE  SWARMS  THAT  CLUSTER  TOGETHER. 

In  separating  two  swarms  that  have  clustered  together,  the 
object  is  to  get  a  queen  for  each.  To  do  this,  spread  down  a 
sheet,  placing  an  empty  hive  upon  each  end.  Shake  your  bees 
upon  the  sheet  between  the  hives  and  sprinkle  them  with  a  little 
water,  which  will  retard  their  movements  and  give  a  good  chauc« 


SEPARATING    DOUBLE    8WABMB.  31 

to  see  the  queens  as  they  pass  along.  With  a  quill  or  brush, 
start  the  bees  each  way,  having  two  or  three  feet  for  them  to 
travel  to  reach  each  hive.  Keep  the  bees  moving  and  the  en- 
trances open.  Watch  for  the  queen  near  one  entrance,  while  an 
assistant  watches  at  the  other  hive.  Both  queens  are  often  seen 
as  they  crawl  over  the  sheet.  If  both  are  found,  divide  the  bees 
equally,  giving  a  queen  to  each  hive,  and  the  work  is  done. 
Should  you  find  but  one,  secure  her  in  a  tumbler.  Divide  the 
bees  about  equally,  and,  by  watching  them  a  few  minutes,  you 
will  soon  see  where  your  queen  is  needed,  as  those  without  a 
-queen  will  show  the  usual  symptoms,  by  running  about  the  en- 
trance and  up  the  outside  of  the  hive  as  if  in  search  of  some 
thing.  Present  the  queen  to  them  and  they  will  soon  become 
quiet.  But,  should  neither  queen  be  seen,  you  stand  one  chance 
in  two  of  getting  a  queen  in  each  hive.  Watch  them  fifteen  or 
twenty  minutes.  If  one  shows  signs  of  being  queenless  close  up  the 
entrances  and  remove  to  the  stand  it  is  to  occupy,  being  careful  to  give 
sufficient  ventilation.  Now,  shake  the  part  that  has  the  queens  again 
upon  the  sheet,  making  them  travel  some  distance  to  reach  the  hive.  You 
will  seldom  fail  to  find  one  of  the  queens.  Secure  her  in  a  tumbler  or 
queen  cage,  and  as  soon  as  all  the  bees  are  in,  remove  the  hive  to  its 
permanent  stand.  Open  the  other  hive  and  place  the  queen  at  the  en- 
trance and  the  bees  will  receive  her  joyfully.  The  two  hires  should  be 
placed  some  distance  apart  on  separate  stands,  and  each  should  have  a 
comb  or  two  of  brood  inserted. 


32 


NATURAL    SWARMING 


TO  PREVENT  NEW  SWARMS  FROM  LEAVING  THEIR  HIVES. 

Natural  •swarms  will  occasionally  refuse  to  stay  after  having 
been  hived,  usually  in  consequence  of  heat  or  strong  odors  about 
the  hive.  In  nucleus  swarming  this  seldom  or  never  happens, 
because  the  bees  are  never  without  a  comb  containing  brood  and 
honey;  and  this  they  will  not  leave  voluntarily.  Therefore, 
when  hiving  a  swarm  in  a  movable-comb  hive,  go  to  any  stock 
that  can  spare  a  comb  containing  brood  and  honey.  Brush  back 
the  bees,  being  careful  not  to  remove  the  queen  or  any  queen- 
cells  with  the  comb,  and  place  it  in  the  hive  that  is  to  receive 
the  new  swarm.  It  wiU  not  only  prevent  the  bees  from  decamp- 
mg  but  will  greatly  encourage  them,  and  should  bad  weather 
confine  them  to  the  hive  they  will  be  secure  from  starvation.  If 
the  swarm  is  put  in  a  common  hive,  place  over  them  a  box  oi 
honey,  taken  from  the  parent  stock. 

HATCHING    AND    FERTILIZATION    OF    QUEENS 

In  about  eight  days  after  the  old  queen  leaves 
with  the  first  swarm,  the  most  advanced  sealed  queen 
is  ready  to  emerge.  During  this  time  the  old  stock 
is  without  a  hatched  queen.  The  young  queen  im- 
mediately upon  leaving  her  cell,  if  not  restrained  by 
the  workers,  commences  the  work  of  destruction  upon 
her  yet  imprisoned  sisters.  She  accomplishes  this 
by  biting  open  the  side  of  each  cell  near  its  base,  and 
dispatching  the  unfortunate  inmate  with  her  sting. 
She  is  yet  incompetent  for  the  maternal  duty,  and 
must  leave  the  hive  to  meet  the  drones  in  the  air  for 


HATCHING    AND    FERTILIZATION    OF    QUEENS.  33 

Uie  purpose  of  fertilization.  This  once  actomplished,  the  work- 
ers, awaiting  her  safe  return,  greet 
her  with  a  reverence  and  afl^tion 
never  shown  before.  They  hasten 
to  prepare  the  cells  to  receive  her 
tiny  eggs,  and  seem  to  reahze  that 
on  her  the  existence  and  perpetua- 
tion of  the  family  depends.  There 
Fertile  Queen.        -^  ^j^^  ^  perceptible  chauge  in  the  ''^^^^^'^  **'— 

queen's  form,. her  abdomen  being  a  httle  swollen  and  somewhat 
lengthened,  but  not  as  much  as  at  the  height  of  the  breeding 
season.  She  now  remains  the  fruitfal  mother  of  the  prosperous 
and  happy  colony. 

SECOND    AND    THIRD    OR    AFTER    SWARMS, 

After  the  first  swarm  leaves  the  hive,  if  bees  are  still  numer- 
ous and  the  yield  of  honey  continues  good,  the  workers  will  often 
decide  to  protect  the  queen  cells,  and  thus  cause  the  issue  of  one 
or  more  after-swarms.  Small  knots  of  bees  cluster  about  the 
cells,  and  thus  prevent  their  destruction  by  the  first  emerging 
queen.  At  this  she  seems  greatly  enraged  and  utters  a  pecuhar 
sound,  like  the  "peep,"  "peep,"  of  young  chickens,  though  on  a 
very  fine  key.  This  is  often  answered  in  a  hoarser  note,  from 
the  eldest  of  the  still  enclosed  queens.  The  senior  queen  con- 
tinues "piping,"  as  it  is  called  for  a  day  or  two,  meanwhile  mak- 
ing every  efi'ort  to  engage  in  "mortal  combat"  her  royal  rivals. 
Being  frustrated  in  every  attempt,  she  finally  leaves  the  hive  in 
a  "huff,"  accompanied  by  a  considerable  body  of  workers.     It 


34  NATURAL    SMARMING. 

appears  from  this  that  the  immediate  cause  of  after-swarming 
springs  from  a  desire  to  avoid  a  quarrel  among  the  "  women 
folks."  The  piping  cannot  be  mistaken  for  any  other  sound 
given  by  the  bees,  and  may  always  be  heard  the  morning  or 
evening  preceding  the  issue  of  any  swarm  after  the  first.  If 
a  second  swarm  is  to  issue,  piping  will  usually  be  heard,  by  hold 
ing  the  ear  close  to  the  hive,  on  the  morning  or  evening  of  the 
eighth  or  ninth  day  from  the  departure  of  the  first  swarm ;  and, 
for  third  swarms,  on  the  next  evening  or  morning  after  the  issue 
of  the  second.  If  it  is  not  heard  by  the  fourteenth  day,  from 
the  time  the  first  swarm  left,  no  after-swarm  need  be  expected. 
In  good  seasons  or  in  favored  localities,  second  swarms,  if  early, 
will  generally  lay  up  sufficient  stores  for  winter,  and  are  valua- 
ble on  account  of  having  vigorous  young  queens.  But,  in  this 
latitude,  if  after-swarms  are  cast  the  old  stock  is  often  greatly 
weakened,  and  consequently  more  exposed  to  the  inroads  of  the 
moth,  besides  seldom  storing  surplus  honey  after  swarming.  The 
Bwarms  also  often  fail  to  secure  stores  for  winter,  and  have  to  be 
broken  up  in  the  fall.  A  safer  and  more  profitable  course  is  to 
allow  but  one  swarm  to  issue  from  a  stock  the  same  season. 
With  movable-comb  hives,  the  issue  of  after-swarms  is  easily  and 
surely  prevented,  by  opening  the  hive  in  five  or  six  days  after 
the  first  swarm  leaves  and  taking  away  aU  the  queen  cells  but 
one.  By  this  course,  we  may  keep  all  our  stocks,  both  old  and 
new,  strong  and  prosperous.  We  give  directions  concerning  afterswarms 
because  from  sickness,  or  otherwise,  the  beekeeper  may  be  unable  to 
give  attention  before  they  issue.     All  swarms  after  the  second  should 


SECOND    AND    THIRD    OB    AFTER    SWARMS.  35 

after  taking  away  their  queens,  be  returned  to  the  stocks  whence 
they  issued. 

As  third  swarms  are  usually  attended  by  several  queens,  it 
mves  trouble  to  hive  the  swarm  and  let  it  stand  by  the  old  stock 
until  the  next  morning,  when  all  but  one  of  the  queens  will  be 
killed  and  the  remaining  queen  may  be  found  by  jarring  the  bees 
on  a  sheet. 

When  after-swarms  are  expected,  the  apiary  must  be  closely 
ivatched.  First  swarms  seldom  issue  earher  than  nine  o'clock  or 
jater  than  three,  and  usually  choose  a  fine  clear  day.  Not  so 
with  after  swarms.  They  are  Kable  to  issue  at  almost  any  time 
luring  the  day,  and  often  in  cloudy  weather.  They  are  apt  to 
go  farther  from  the  hive  to  cluster  than  first  swarms,  and,  being 
very  small,  are  not  always  found  unless  seen  while  upon  the  wing. 
Second  swarms  ordinarily  issue  in  from  eight  to  twelve  days  from 
the  first;  and  all  after-swarms  must  be  out  by  the  eighteenth 
day,  after  which  no  more  swarms  need  be  looked  for  from  that 
hive,  unless  a  "  buckwheat  swarm "  is  thrown  ofi"  in  August,, 
which  is  an  unusual  occurrence. 

LOSS    OF    QUEENS. 

Jf  a  queen  is  lost  or  removed  from  a  colony,  when  there  are 
eggs  or  young  larvae  in  the  worker  combs  and  drones  in  the  api- 
Jiry,  the  workers  almost  immediately  commence  constructing  queen 
cells  to  repair  the  loss.  In  due  time  a  queen  comes  forth,  and 
when  every  rival  in  the  hive,  whether  mature  or  in  embryo,  haa 
oeen  destroyed,  the  remaining  queen  must  run  some  risk  of  be- 
'ng  lost  in  her  flight  to  meet  the  drones  for  impregnation.    Ijike- 


36  NATURAL   SWARMING. 

i 

wise,  when  a  stock  has  swarmed,  there  remains  in  it  a  joiing 
queen  to  be  fertilized.  Consequently,  should  she  bb  lost  on  her 
*'  bridal  tour  "  the  stock  is  left  without  either  a  queen  or  material 
from  which  to  rear  one,  as  the  eggs  left  by  the  old  queen  at  her 
departure,  with  the  first  swarm,  are  too  far  advanced  to  be  used 
for  that  purpose. 

Queens  are  seldom  lost  except  while  making  these  excursions, 
when  they  are  sometimes  caught  by  birds,  but  far  more  fre 
quently  slain  as  intruders  by  entering  the  wrong  hive  on  their 
return,  mistaking  it  for  their  own.  The  bereaved  colony  wiU 
exhibit  the  greatest  agitation.  Bees  will  be  running  about  the 
entrance  and  up  the  sides  of  the  hive,  searching  everywhere  for 
their  beloved  queen.  This  commotion  is  very  noticeable  the 
next  morning  after  the  loss,  while  other  colonies  are  quiet,  and 
for  two  or  three  mornings  as  it  gradually  wears  off.  The  bees  wiD 
sometimes  work  with  their  accustomed  vigor,  and,  still  hoping  to 
succeed  in  rearing  another  queen,  their  drones  are  preserved, 
after  those  of  other  stocks  are  destroyed.  There  being  no  far- 
ther increase  in  the  colony,  it  dwindles  away  as  daily  losses  oc- 
cur, and,  should  the  bee-keeper  not  come  to  the  rescue,  must  ere 
long  fall  a  prey  to  worms  and  robbers.  The  loss  of  queens  is 
usually  the  result  of  placing  hives  of  the  same  color  or  general 
appearance  too  close  together.  Colonies  that  have  young  queens 
to  be  impregnated  should  stand  five  feet  or  more  apart.  Such 
colonies  are  all  old  stocks  that  have  cast  swarms,  and  all  swarma 
after  the  first  from  any  stock.  Also,  if  the  hives  appear  much 
ahke,  each  one  should  have  a  difieren*  ^nrk  to  guide  its  queen 
Ji  returning  to  her  hive. 


LOSS    OF   QUEENS.  37 

TJnimpregnated  queeus  should  be  examined  about  the  twelfth  day 
from  the  time  the  first  swarm  left,  and,  if  no  eggs  are  found  in  the 
combs  by  the  eighteenth  day,  the  stock  is  probably  queenless.  Give 
them  a  reserve /er/i7e  queen  or  queen-cell,  if  either  is  at  hand.  K  not, 
take  from  another  hive  a  frame  of  worker  comb  containing  eggs  and 
young  brood,  and  place  it  near  the  centre  of  the  queenless  hive.  Queens 
ordinarily  lose  their  fertility  or  die  of  old  age,  when  from  three  to  four 
years  old.  If  this  happens  in  winter  or  early  spring,  break  up  the 
colony,  before  its  stores  tempt  other  stocks  to  robbery,  giving  the  bees 
to  another  colony.  Such  a  stock  can  seldom  be  induced  to  rear  a  queen 
at  this  season  if  furnished  with  material,  and  even  though  it  should, 
the  bees  would  nearly  all  be  gone  before  she  could  replenish  its  wasting 
population,  should  she  eventually  chance  to  become  fertile. 

In  the  Spring  the  bee-keeper  may  be  sure  of  the  presence  of  a  queen 
in  any  hive  without  opening  it  if  he  finds  among  the  droppings,  eggs  or 
immature  bees.  It  is  an  indication  of  queenlessness  if  the  workers 
bring  in  little  or  no  pollen  when  the  other  colonies  are  carrying  in 
plump  pellets  upon  their  thighs.  It  is  always  best  in  early  spring  to 
open  every  colony  so  as  to  be  sure  not  only  of  the  presence  of  a  queen 
but  also  of  their  general  condition,  and  especially  of  the  amount  of 
stores  so  as  to  know  whether  it  is  necessary  to  feed,  and  if  so  to  what 
extent.  If  worker  eggs  or  brood  is  found,  it  is  conclusive  evidence  that 
a  fertile  queen  is  present.  But,  if  only  the  scattering  oval  caps  are 
seen,  join  the  bees  to  another  colony,  and  preserve  the  combs  for  new 
swarms,  or  to  exchange  for  frames  of  sealed  honey. 

Another  method  which  will  be  found  to  work  well  if  the  weather  is 
vearm  is  to  take  from  a  stock  which  has  an  abundance  of  eggs  and 
brood,  one  frame  of  brood  and  the  queen,  give  them  to  this  weak  stock 
in  exchange  for  a  frame  of  empty  comb;  and  in  the  heat  of  the  day  when 


38  NATUKA    SWARMING. 

the  bees  are  flying  the  thickest  exchange  places  with  these  hives.  Now, 
put  on  a  feeder,  if  honey  is  not  plentiful  in  the  flowers,  and  give  them  a 
little  each  day,  just  sufficient  to  keep  them  working  and  the  queen  will 
not  be  slow  in  filling  all  the  available  space  with  eggs,  and  this  poor 
stock  will  soon  be  in  a  flourishing  condition,  while  the  stock  from  which 
the  queen  was  taken  will  at  once  proceed  to  rear  another  by  constructing 
queen  cells.  In  ten  days  from  the  time  the  queen  was  removed,  these 
cells  will  be  ready  to  hatch,  and  as  but  one  can  be  utilized  by  this  .stock 
the  others  may  be  profitably  used  in  building  up  stocks  in  the  same 
condition  as  the  one  just  described,  but  in  removing  queen  cells  it  is 
always  well  to  leave  more  than  one  so  as  to  be  sure  of  a  queen  in 
case  of  any  unforeseen  occurrence .  In  all  these  operations  good  judg- 
ment is  of  the  highest  importance  in  order  to  discriminate  between 
the  different  methods  and  select  the  one  best  applicable  to  the  case  in 
hand . 


THE    SAVING    OF    BEES.  39 

aNITINQ    WEAK    SWARMS. 

"  'The  greatest  profit  lies  in  saving  bees,  not  in  killing  them"-^ 
Edward  Prince. 

The  old  practice  of  destroying  the  bees,  in  order  to  secure  the 
honey,  thus  throwing  away  all  prospect  of  future  gain,  for  a  lit- 
tle present  advantage,  is  not  only  cruel  but  wholly  unnecessary, 
and  should  be  discountenanced  by  every  admirer  of  this  untiring 
little  busybody. 

Two  weak  famihes,  when  united,  will  consume  httle,  if  any 
more  honey,  than  each  would  if  left  separate.  The  reason  of  this 
is,  a  strong  colony  is  able  to  maintain  the  proper  degree  of  warmth 
m  cold  weather,  which  greatly  lessens  the  consumption  of  food. 
Vs  soon  as  the  autumn  frosts  have  killed  the  flowers,  colonies 
tnat  are  too  weak  to  protect  their  stores  are  much  exposed  to 
robbery.  Such,  may  either  be  strengthened  by  bringing  bees 
from  a  distance,  (see  "How  to  Collect  an  Apiary,")  or  two  of 
them  may  be  joined  together.  When  uniting  stocks,  smoke  them 
thoroughly  and  shake  the  bees  into  a  box  or  upon  a  sheet,  to- 
gether. Sprmkle  them  with  sweetened  water  to  prevent  quar- 
rehng,  and  to  keep  them  quiet,  and  hive  as  a  single  swarm. 
Stocks  in  the  movable-comb  hive  may  be  united  without  shakmg 
the  bees  from  the  combs,  if  early  in  the  spring  or  in  cool  weather 
m  the  fall,  or  when  the  flowers  yield  a  bountiful  supply  ot  honey, 
as  the  bees  are  then  very  peaceable.  Treat  them  to  tobacco 
smoke,  which  will  induce  all  to  fill  themselves  with  honey,  and 
serve  to  give  them  the  same  scent.  Remove  the  con  bs  with  the 
bees  adhering  and  place  them  together  m  the  same  hive,  leavuig 


40  NATURAL    SWARMING 

out  the  flames  containing  the  least  honey.  If  one  of  the  queens 
is  known  to  be  very  old,  she  may  be  taken  away.  After  closing 
the  hive,  place  it  upon  the  stand  previously  occupied  by  the 
stronger  of  the  united  swarms.  In  uniting  bees,  vhen  the 
weather  is  warm  enough  for  them  to  fly,  it  must  not  be  forgotten 
that,  unless  carried  a  mile  or  more  away,  they  are  strongly  in- 
cHned  to  return  to  their  old  stand.  To  prevent  this,  give  abun- 
dant ventilation,  and  close  the  entrance  till  near  sunset.  Close 
it  again  early  next  morning,  opening  it  half  an  hour  before  sun- 
set to  permit  the  bees  to  fly.  On  the  morning  of  the  third  day 
blow  a  little  smoke  into  the  hive  and  leave  the  entrance  open,  as 
the  removed  colony  will  not  now  return  to  its  former  stand.  New 
swarms,  before  being  hived,  have  given  up  their  established  loca 
tion,  and  two  or  more  of  them  may  be  joined  together  and  placed 
upon  any  stand  desired. 

Second  swarms  are  often  worth  but  Httle,  if  hived  separately 
But,  if  two  are  united,  they  will  seldom  fail  to  fill  their  hive  and 
be  in  good  couditiou  for  wiutering.  If  queen  cells  are  removed,  sur- 
plus space  given,  honey  exhricted,  or  empty  comb  given  there  is  no 
danger  of  second  swarms. 

Swarms  issuing  the  same  day  will  unite  peaceably,  or  a  swarm 
may  be  jo'ned  to  another  that  has  been  hived  three  or  four  days , 
but,  after  ^hat,  a  union  is  more  diflficult  in  the  common  hive, 
When  such  swarms  do  not  issue  about  the  same  time,  so  as  to  be 
hived  together,  let  them  stand  in  separate  hives  till  sunset.  Then 
place  the  one  first  hived  upon  a  sheet,  raising  the  edge  of  the 
nive  that  the  other  sw&rm  may  enter.  Bring  the  other  hive  and 
ehake  the  bees  out  upon  the  sheet.     If  the  queen  is  seer,  while 


PREVENTION    OF    SWARMINQ.  41 

the  bees  are  entering,  she  should  be  taken  away,  as  the  other 
queen  may  already  have  become  fertile. 

If  a  colony  is  found  to  be  queenless  in  early  spring,  add  ita 
bees  to  some  weak  stock  having  a  fertile  queen.  To  do  this, 
sprinkle  the  bees  with  diluted  honey  or  water  sweetened  with 
sugar,  which,  at  this  season,  will  usually  procure  them  a  kind  re- 
ception. 

PREVENTION    OF    SWARMING. 

We  have  given  an  easy  and  certain  method  to  prevent  after- 
swarming,  but  to  prevent  the  issue  of  first  swarms  is  sometimes 
more  difficult.  Some,  who  prefer  an  increased  amount  of  surplus 
honey  to  an  increase  of  stocks,  effect  the  object  by  clipping  one 
of  the  queen's  wings,  when  she  cannot  leave  with  the  swarm, 
and  will  shortly  return  to  the  hive.  The  queen,  however,  in 
attempting  to  accompany  the  swarm  will  usually  fall  to  the 
ground  directly  in  front  of  the  stand,  therefore  a  broad  board 
should  slant  from  the  alighting  board  to  the  ground  to  enable  hei 
to  crawl  back  into  the  hive.  When  the  issue  of  the  swarm  is 
observed  the  queen  should  be  found  and  returned,  for  should  she 
faQ  to  get  back  the  swarm  would  probably  reissue  upon  the 
hatching  of  a  young  queen.  Great  care  must  be  taken  not  to 
•chp  the  wings  of  the  young  queens  before  they  have  become  fer- 
tile^  else  they  will  remain  barren  and  worthless.  Another  way 
is  to  examine  the  combs  every  ten  days  while  the  swarming  fevtr 
lasts  and  remove  all  the  queen  cells.  If  while  doing  this,  more 
room  be  given  in  the  body  of  the  hive  by  removing  a  frame  of 
honey,  two  examinations  will  usually  suffice. 


42  NATUBAL    SWARMING. 

QUIETING    AND    HANDLING   BEES. 

Before  a  swarm  issues  from  a  hive,  the  bees  fill  their  sacs  with 
honey  to  last  while  on  their  journey  and  aid  them  in  starting  in 
their  new  home.  While  thus  filled,  they  are  (like  a  man  soon 
after  dinner)  uncommonly  good  natured  and  obhging,  seldom 
showing  any  rough  points  of  character.  Yet,  lest  some  "  luck- 
less wight "  might  have  been  sleeping  on  the  outside  of  the  hivo 
while  its  comrades  were  filling  their  "jackets  "  within,  we  wH} 
give  the  clustered  swarm  a  shght  sprinkhng  with  diluted  honey 
or  sweetened  water.  If  they  were  docile  and  tractable  before,, 
they  are  doubly  so  now.  We  may  shake  them  down,  hunt  out 
their  queen,  or  perform  with  them  any  operation  we  wish  and 
they  will  not  sting  us,  unless  we  compel  them  by  pressure  to  do 
so.  Here  we  have  the  true  explanation  of  all  the  "charms," 
"secrets"  and  "recipes  for  taming  bees,"  with  which  unprinci- 
pled venders  have  long  humbugged  a  too  credulous  pubhc.  The 
whole  art  of  "taming  bees"  is  embodied  in  the  following: 

1st.  A  honey  bee  filled  with  "Uquid  sweets"  will  not  sting 
of  its  own  accord. 

2d.  Bees,  when  frightened,  will  generally  fill  themselves  with 
honey,  and  if  given  liquid  sweets  will  invariably  accept  them. 

Bees  may  be  frightened  thus : 

1st.  By  blowing  upon  them  the  smoke  of  spunk,  tobacco  or 
cotton  rags. 

2d.  By  confining  them  to  the  hive,  and  rapping  the  sides  of 
it  Hghtly  with  a  small  stick.     At  first,  the  bees  will  try  to  get 

Note.— Wood  nearly  rotten  we  have  fonnd  to  be  mnch  better  than  a  roll  of  cotto» 
raes  for  smoking  bees. 


QUIETING   AND   HANDLING   BEES. 


4a 


out,   but   failing   will    fill    themselves 
with  honey. 

Formerly  small  rolls  of  cotton  cloth, 
with  tobacco  added  at  times,  were  used 
for  smoking  bees,  but  since  the  inven- 
tion of  the  Bellows  Smoker  no  bee- 
keeper can  afford  to  be  without  it.  It 
vdll  hold  fire  for  hours  from  cotton  rags, 
rotton  wood  or  anything  suitable.  It  is 
worked  with  one  hand,  and  puffs  smoke 
in  dense  volumes  into  the  hive  or 
among  the  combs.  On  opening  a  hive, 
puff  a  little  smoke  into  the  entrance 
and  wait  a  moment  for  them  to  fill  themselves  with  honey.  If  other 
stocks  are  close  and  the  bees  interfere,  blow  smoke  into  the  entrance 
of  each  hive.  Toward  fall, when  bees  have  become  rich  in  stores,  they 
are  harder  to  control.  They  are  also  more  irritable  in  cool,  cloudy 
weather,  which  prevents  them  from  visiting  the  flowers.  At  such 
times,  a  little  smoking  tobacco  scattered  upon  and  rolled  up  with  the 
rags,  will  effectully  tranquilize  them.  Or,  if  addicted  to  the  use  of 
the  pipe  or  cigar,  the  rags  may  be  saved.  In  short,  by  the  use  of 
smoke,  timely  given,  and  repeated  as  needed,  bees  may  be  kept  in 
subjection  for  any  length  of  time.  Some  use  water,  sweetened 
with  sugar  or  honey.  Sugar  is  preferable,  as  the  scent  will  not  so 
readily  attract  bees  from  other  hives.  Sprinkle  it  upon  the  bees 
with  a  small  clothes  broom.  Give  them  time  to  fill  themselves, 
and  they  will  have  no  disposition  to  sting.  The  sweetened  water 
is  very  useful  in  uniting,  and  for  keeping  swarms  quiet  when 
away  from  their  combs.     Although,  by  using  care  and  gentleness  in 


44  NATURAL    SWARMING. 

our  manipulations  of  the  hive,  the  risk  of  being  stung  is  smaH^ 
we  advise  the  begmner  to  use  a  veil  for  the  face  till  he  has  gained 
courage  and  experience,  when  it  may  be  dispensed  with.  This 
veil  may  be  a  piece  of  coarse  black  milhnet,  fastened  to  the  rim 
of  a  summer  hat  and  tucked  in  about  the  neck.  The  rim  of 
the  hat  holds  the  veil  away  from  the  face,  making  it  safe,  cool 
and  comfortable.  The  cost  of  the  miUinet,  hat  included,  is  tri- 
fling, and  several  may  be  trimmed  and  kept  for  visitors  who 
wish  to  view  the  wonders  of  the  apiary. 

For  a  screen  to  carry  in  the  pocket,  to  use  when  away  from 
tiome  on  any  kind  of  hat,  get  one-and-a-half  yards  of  millinet  or 
any  coarse,  open  stuff.  Gather  one  side  of  tliis  into  a  band  that 
will  slip  over  the  crown  of  the  hat  down  to  the  brim.  This  may 
be  secured  with  a  string  under  the  vest  coUar.  If  the  fabric 
used  is  dark-colored  and  very  coarse,  it  will  not  tire  the  eyes  or 
scarcely  obstruct  the  vision. 

When  at  work  among  the  bees,  avoid  making  quick  motions 
3r  jarring  the  hives.  If  a  bee  come  buzzing  threateningly  about, 
never  strike,  but  keep  your  head  bowed  and  the  rim  of  your 
hat  and  your  liand  will  protect  your  face.  A  bee  flies  in  a  direct 
line,  and  will  not  dive  down  to  come  up  into  the  face.  Should 
the  bee  refuse  to  leave,  walk  quietly  into  the  shade  of  a  tree  or 
into  a  building.  The  poison  of  a  bee  sting  may  often  be  neu- 
tralized and  swelling  prevented,  by  quickly  applying  strong 
spirits  of  hartshorn.  Amusing  feats  may  be  performed  with 
bees,  when  filled  with  sweets,  by  confining  the  queen  in  a  small 
wire-cloth  cage  and  fastening  it  upon  the  hair,  whiskers  or  m 
your  hat,  when  the  swarm  wiU  harmlessly  cluster  around  their 
oueen. 


CHAPTER  III. 

BEE    PASTURAGE    AND    PRODUCTS. 

'■^  Honey  is  not  made  hy  the  bees,  but  is  simply  gathered  by  them 
from  the  nectaries  of  flowers,  and  from  that  peculiar  deposit  on 
vegetation  during  summer,  called  '■honey  dew.^  " — Dr.  Kirtland. 

Honey  is  a  liquid  sweet  secreted  bj  flowers,  and  is  gathered 
and  stored  in  the  combs  unchanged  bj  the  bees.  If  a  stock  of 
bees  be  fed  on  inferior  quality  of  syrup,  and  the  combs  examined, 
it  will  be  found  in  the  cells  unchanged.  Hence  the  quahty  of 
honey  depends  upon  the  flowers  from  which  it  is  gathered. 
"White  clover,  hnden,  raspberries,  &c.,  affording  hght-colored 
honey,  while  buckwheat,  poplar,  and  dandehon,  yield  that  which 
is  darker. 

Honey  and  pollen  are  supphed  by  nearly  all  the  flowering  trees 
and  plants  of  the  vegetable  kingdom.  The  varieties,  in  the 
northern  States,  which  furnish  the  largest  proportion  are,  first  in 
the  spring,  the  alders,  soft  maple  and  willows.  These  come  very 
early,  and,  if  not  cut  short  by  frost,  stimulate  breeding,  and  form 
for  the  bees  an  acceptable  change  from  a  spare  winter  die^ 
There  is  then,  in  most  places,  a  scarcity  of  flowers  for  about  three 
weeks,  when  the  hard  or  sugar  maple  throws  out  its  golden  tas- 
sels, and  the  peach,  pear,  cherry  and  .smaller  fruits,  rich  in  honey 
and  bee-bread,  extend  an  invitation  which  is  never  shghted  by 
the  provident  bees.     The  apple-tree  blossoms  now  afford  a  reaJ 


46  BEE    PASTURAGE    AND    PRODUCTS, 

haivest.      Raspberries,  especially  the  red  varieties,  yield  an  ex 
oessive  flow  of  excellent  honey.     The  month  of  June  brings  th« 
white  clover,  which,  in  the  older  parts  of  the  country,  is  usually 
the  chief  source  of  surplus  honey,  and  of  great  value  everywhere. 
It  continues  in  blossom  about  two  months,  yielding  large  quanti- 
ties of  superior  honey.     The  tulip-tree,  by  some  called  poplar, 
by  others,  whitewood,  blossoms  soon  after  the  appearance  of  the 
white  clover,  and  secretes  much  pure  saccharine  matter,  nearly  a 
teaspoonful  being  often  contained  in  one  of  its  large  bell-shaped 
flowers.     We  once  had  an  apiary  located  near  the  grove  of  this 
timber,  and  every  fine  morning,  during  the  time  it  was  in  blos- 
som, the  bees  seemed  to  be  swarming  over  a  ten  acre  field  in  the 
direction  of  the  grove.       Catnip,   borage,  strawberries,    honey- 
suckles, mignonette,  hoarhound,  motherwort,  and  various  kinds  oi 
garden  flowers,  are  rich  in  honey  and  valuable  when  in  suflBcient 
quantities.     The  locust  tree,  either  yellow  or  black,  is  a  gre^it 
producer  of  honey,  and  while  in  bloom,  the  bees   will   swarm 
around  it  to  the  neglect  of  other  flowers.     About  the  first  of  July, 
the  hnden  or  basswood  opens  its  ten  thousand  fragrant  petals. 
Where  this  timber  abounds,  the  bees  reap  from  it  a  rich  harvest. 
Mustard  is,  also,  an  especial  favorite.     Corn  tassels  afford  much 
poUen,  and  vines  of  the  pumpkin,  squash,  &c.,  yield  honey.     In 
some  seasons,  what  is  called  "honey  dew,"  makes  its  appearance 
on  the  vegetation.     It  is  usually  confined  to  a  few  varieties  of 
trees,  giving  the  leaves  a  glossy  appearance,  and  is  sometimes  so 
copious  as  to  make  them  quite  sticky.     The  dew  of  each  sue- 
ceeding    morning  makes  it  available  till  a  rain  dissolves  and 
washes  it  away. 


OVERSTOCKING  4< 

Buckwheat  continues  blossoming  for  from  three  to  five  weeks, 
ikeeping  the  bees  busily  employed,  beside  enough  honey  wasting 
by  evaporation  to  perfume  the  air  for  a  considerable  distance 
around.  A  farther  supply  is  fiinushed  by  golden-rod,  fireweei, 
English  smartweed,  asters,  and  various  other  fall  flowers.  "We 
have  omitted  to  mention  many  trees  and  plants  that  are  quite  as 
valuable  for  their  honey  bearing  properties  as  some  of  those 
enumerated. 

OVERSTOCKING. 

To  a  person  unacquainted  with  the  immense  honey  resources 
of  our  country,  a  question  will  naturally  arise  as  to  how  many 
stocks  of  bees  may  be  safely  kept  at  one  point,  and  whether  there 
is  not  danger  of  collecting  so  great  a  number  as  to  exhaust  the 
natural  supplies  of  honey.  In  reply,  wf.  would  say  that  we  be- 
heve  it  possible  to  overstock  a  given  locality,  and  yet  we  have 
never  been  able,  in  our  own  experience  or  otherwise,  to  get  suf 
ficient  evidence  to  confirm  us  in  this  behef.  Mr.  H.  B.  Gifi'ord, 
in  the  Prairie  Farmer,  says:  "I  knew  of  one  neighborhood, 
«ast,  a  thickly  settled  place,  where  nearly  every  family  kept  from 
one  to  fifty  swarms.  It  is  said  they  get  as  much  honey  per 
«warm  as  they  used  to  when  there  were  but  few  kept,  and  a 
double  price  for  their,  honey." 

At  times  the  supply  of  honey  seems  almost  inexhaustible 
During  these  harvests  the  flowers  secrete  honey  through  the 
oight,  which  must  be  gathered  in  the  fore  part  of  the  day,  or  it 
is  lost  by  evaporation  with  the  noonday  sun.  Upon  this  point, 
Mr.  E.  T.  Sturtevant,  an  extensive  bee-keeper  of  Northern  Ohio, 


48  BEE   PASTURAGE    AND    PRODUCTS, 

writes  as  foliows :  "A  kind  Providence  furnishes  this  tountiftil 
supply  each  day,  and  if  workers  are  not  on  hand  to  gather  it  on 
that  day,  it  is  gone.  I  have  never  known  a  season  when  this 
honey  harvest  did  not  enable  every  strong  colony,  in  the  course 
of  a  few  days,  to  lay  up  an  abundant  supply  for  its  own  con- 
gumption,  and  a  generous  surplus  for  its  owner.  To  secure  this 
result,  however,  the  hives  must  be  abundantly  supplied  with 
workers.  The  whole  secret  lies  in  strong  swarms.  The  rapidity 
with  which  swarms,  at  this  period  of  the  year  increase  in  weight. 
Is  surprising,  ranging  from  three  to  five,  ten  to  fifteen,  or  feven 
eighteen  pounds  per  day.  My  own  bees,  the  last  season,  built 
combs  and  stored  honey  in  their  surplus  boxes  only-  from  twelve 
to  fifteen  days.  The  shortest  harvest  I  have  ever  known.  In 
tliis  short  time,  many  of  my  swarms  collected,  in  addition  to  an 
ample  supply  for  their  own  consumption,  from  thirty  to  thirty- 
five  pounds  surplus.  The  same  would  have  been  true  had  the 
number  of  stocks  been  ten  times  as  great.  I  am  satisfied  it 
makes  but  httle  difference  how  many  strong  swarms  are  collected 
together;  a  few  days  will  make  them  all  rich." 

We  visited  Mr.  Sturtevant's  apiary  about  the  time  of  this 
writing,  and  found  it  to  contain  something  over  two  hundred 
swarms.  We  have  seldom  kept  more  than  one  hundred  stocks 
in  one  place,  preferring  to  keep  them  at  different  points,  two 
or  three  miles  apart,  but  after  all,  we  believe  the  question  of  over- 
stocking to  depend  in  a  great  measure  upon  a  continuous  and 
abundant  supply  of  flowers,  from  early  spring  till  Autumn. 
Where  this  supply  can  be  had  httle  fear  need  be  entertained  of 
overstocking. 


CULTIYATING    HONEY    CROPS.  49 

In  most  places,  there  are,  even  in  the  best  honey  years,  times 
tf  scarcity,  during  which  few  flowers  can  be  found.  These  va- 
cancies may  be  profitably  filled  and  immense  stores  of  honey  se- 
cured by  planting  out  flower-trees,  shrubs,  and  cultivating  field 
crops  with  especial  reference  to  this  object. 

For  bee  pasturage,  as  well  as  for  fruit,  the  cherry  tree  haa 
never  been  rightly  appreciated.  Several  of  the  early  improved 
varieties  bloom  in  a  time  when  most  needed  by  the  bees,  and 
even  the  latest  are  fully  improved  by  them.  The  raspberry 
continues  in  bloom  about  three  weeks,  and  few  flowers  fia^nish 
so  large  a  quantity  of  purest  nectar.  The  fruit  is  a  surer  crop 
even  than  the  cherry,  and  every  one  knows  that  "purple  cane," 
"black  cap"  and  "orange"  raspberries,  and  "sweet  cherries/'' 
do  not  always  need  to  be  taken  to  market  to  find  purchasers. 

Let  your  lanes  and  avenues  and  the  front  of  your  grounds  be- 
lined  with  the  locust,  linden,  hard  and  soft  maple,  tuhp  and  chest- 
nut. These  are  beautiful  shade  and  ornamental  trees  and  will 
increase  the  value  of  your  property  ten  times  the  expense  of 
planting  them.  A  pleasing  contrast  is  produced  by  interspersing 
among  them  cherry,  apple  and  other  fruit  trees,  all  afi'ording  large 
supphes  of  dehcious  honey. 

CULTIVATING    HONEY    CROPS. 

White  clover  stands  first  on  the  Hst  of  honey  crops.  When 
sown  with  other  grasses  it  is  valuable  for  hay,  and  for  pasture 
it  cannot  be  excelled.  Where  it  is  abundant  there  are  never 
bees  enough  to  collect  one-fourth  of  the  honey  it  affords.  Red 
clover  secretes  much  honey,  yet  it  is  mostly  beyond  the  reach  of 
the  common  bees,  but  ItaHan  bees  store  honey  fiom  it  to  a  much 


50  BEE    PASTJRAGE    AND    PRODUCTS. 

greater  extent,  though  chiefly  from  the  smaller  blossoms,  and  the 
second  growth  or  aftermath.  Mustard  is  one  of  the  most  profit- 
able crops  to  cultivate,  as  well  for  its  seed  as  a  pasture  for  bees.  It 
should  be  thinly  sown,  and  lightly  brushed  in  during  April  or  May, 
upon  good  soil,  and  cut  rather  green  to  avoid  waste  by  sheUing. 
It  yields  from  ten  to  fifteen  bushels  per  acre,  and  sells  readily  to 
manufacturers  in  large  cities  at  a  high  price.  Even  an  acre  or 
two  of  mustard  is  of  great  advantage  to  an  apiary,  as  it  keeps 
branching  and  blossoming  nearly  all  summer.  In  most  parts  of 
the  country  there  is  a  dearth  of  flowers  from  the  fall  of  the  ap- 
ple-tree blossoms  till  white  clover  comes  in.  To  fill  this  vacancy 
a  plat  of  turnips  may  be  sown  each  year.  Gather  the  largest 
for  market  or  to  feed  to  the  stock,  and  enough  small  ones  will  re- 
main in  the  ground  to  run  to  seed  the  next  year,  to  make  a  rich 
pasture  for  the  bees  in  the  most  critical  part  of  the  season,  greatly 
favoring  the  advent  of  early  swarms.  The  value  of  a  field  of 
buckwheat  for  both  bread  and  honey  is  well  known.  In  speak- 
mg  of  it  as  a  honey  crop,  Mr.  Harbison  says:  "When  the 
weather  is  favorable  the  bees  store  honey  from  it  very  rapidly, 
faster  at  times  than  they  can  build  combs  to  receive  it.  I  have 
seen  them  fill  pieces  of  old  comb,  laid  close  to  the  entrance  of 
the  hive,  with  honey,  and  have  known  colonies  to  fill  four  boxes 
of  honey,  or  about  fifty  pounds  during  the  continuance  of  buck- 
wheat. This  is  by  no  means  an  uncommon  occurrence,  and  goep- 
to  show  that  this  honey  harvest  is  one  of  great  importance  to  the 
bee-keeper.  Buckwheat  may  be  sown  about  a  month  earlier 
than  usual,  to  furnish  pasturage,  to  come  in  about  the  c^ose  oi 
clover  to  great  advantage." 


POLLEN  51 

We  woul^  add  that  where  linden  or  basswood  abounds  it  is  un- 
necessary to  sow  buckwheat  (except  that  sown  very  early)  before 
the  middle  of  June,  but  where  this  timber  is  scarce  sow  some  the 
first  of  June.  Mr.  Harbison  continues :  "  It  is  much  easier  to 
cultivate  and  produce  enough  pasturage,  in  addition  to  that  from 
natural  sources,  to  supply  one  hundred  hives  of  bees  than  it  is  to 
provide  pasturage  for  one  hundred  head  of  sheep,  and  the  profit 
on  bees  will  more  than  double  that  of  sheep." 

Thus  far  we  have  only  advocated  the  cultivation  of  such  crops 
for  bees  as  are  also  valuable  for  their  gralii  or  seed,  our  object 
being  to  fiU  with  the  greatest  profit,  the  vacancies  between  natu- 
ral suppUes  and  afford  the  bees  an  uninterrupted  succession  of 
flowers  in  greatest  abundance  from  spring  to  fall.  These  vacan- 
cies mostly  occurring  when  the  weather  is  unusually  warm  and 
pleasant,  the  bees,  if  suppHed  with  flowers,  have  every  facility 
for  Lucreasing  their  stores.  Catnip  will  well  repay  cultivation 
for  honey  alone.  It  continues  to  blossom  for  a  long  time,  the 
bees  working  upon  it  with  the  greatest  assiduity  "  from  early 
mom  till  dewy  eve." 

POLLEN 

Pollen,  or  bee-bread,  is  the  fertilizing  dust,  or  fine  meal-hke 
substance  discharged  by  the  anthers  of  flowers.  It  is  used  for 
feeding  the  young  and  immature  bees,  great  quantities  being  col- 
lected for  tliis  purpose  and  carried  to  the  hives  in  Httle  balls  or 
pellets  upon  the  thighs  of  the  workers.  Pollen  is  furnished 
by  different  species  of  flowers  of  almost  every  variety  and  shade 
of  color,  the  most  common  being  yellow.     This  has  caused  some 


52  BEE    PASTUBAGE    AND    PRODUCTS 

to  mistake  these  little  yellow  pellets  for  wax,  to  be  used  in  camb 
building.  Such  should  observe  that  just  as  much  pollen  is  taken 
to  hives  already  fiUed  with  comb,  as  to  any  others.  In  order  to 
stimulate  breeding  in  early  spring,  unbolted  flour  is  sometimes 
used  as  a  substitute  for  pollen.  The  bees  will  not  accept  it  un- 
less given  before  much  natural  pollen  can  be  had.  Where  snow 
prevents  flowers  starting  until  long  after  the  bees  begin  to  fly, 
such  feeding  should  not  be  neglected,  especially  in  large  apiaries. 
It  will  prevent  robbing,  strengthen  the  stocks,  and  encourage 
habits  of  industry.  Unbolted  rye  flour  is  best,  but  bolted  flour 
may  be  used  if  mixed  with  sawdust  or  cut  straw.  If  spread  on 
boards,  with  strips  tacked  on  the  edges  to  prevent  waste,  and 
placed  in  some  sunny  comer  out  of  the  wind,  the  bees  will  work 
upon  it  quite  freely. 

PROPOLIS    OR    BEE   GLUE. 

This  is  a  resinous  gum  collected  by  the  bees  from  the  leaves, 
buds  and  trunks  of  trees  and  plants,  and  is  used  for  coating  over 
uneven  surfaces,  and  for  filling  holes  and  cracks  within  the  hive. 
When  cold,  it  is  very  hard  and  brittle,  being  quite  a  different 
substance  from  wax  of  which  the  combs  are  composed.  Thus 
we  find  honey,  pollen  and  propohs  the  only  substances  gathered 
by  the  bees. 

WAX    AND    COMB    BUILDING. 

As  animals  must  be  fed  large  quantities  of  grain  to  enable 
them  to  secrete  a  few  pounds  of  fat,  so  bees,,  on  a  Hke  principle; 


WAX    AND    COMB    BUILDING.  53 

oonsume  from  fifteen  lo  twenty-five  pounds  of  honej,  (Dr.  KJrt- 
land  says  twenty-five,)  for  the  production  of  a  single  pound  of 
wax.  The  wax  exudes  from  the  rings  or  folds  of  the 
abdomen  of  the  worker,  forming  thin  flakes  or  scales, 
which  are  removed  as  fast  as  formed  and  used  for 
constructing  combs.  It  takes  about  two  and  a  half 
pounds  of  wax  to  fill  a  hive  of  ordinary  size  with 
comb.  By  confining  a  swarm  of  bees  in  a  movable- 
8.  Abdomen  of  the  comb  hlvc   and  feeding  them,   the  bees  will  build 

worker      magnified,  " 

^^^/^s*'**"^'^""^  comb,  consuming  about  twenty  pounds  of  sweet  to 
produce  one  pound  of  comb  or  wax.  It  will  readily  be  seen  that 
wax  is  by  far  the  most  expensive  article  used  by  the  bees.  The 
time  spent  in  constructing  the  comb  should  also  be  taken  into  the 
account,  which,  if  occupied  in  gathering  honey,  would,  at  this 
season  of  the  year,  enable  them  to  store  much  more,  and  making 
the  cost  of  a  pound  of  comb  equivalent  to  at  least  twenty-five 
pounds  of  honey.  This  honey,  at  twenty-five  cents  per  pound, 
would  give  us  six  dollars  and  twenty-five  cents  as  the  cost  of  a 
pound  of  comb.  Good  combs  melted  into  wax  and  taken  to 
market  might  bring  forty  cents  per  pound,  which,  deducted  from 
the  cost  price,  would  show  a  loss  of  five  dollars  and  eighty-five 
cents  on  every  pound  of  wax  sold.  These  estimates  show  that 
the  bee-keeper  cannot  afford  to  melt  down  any  combs  that  can 
be  used  to  advantage  by  the  bees.  Even  drone  comb,  if  not  too 
dark  colored,  should  be  used  in  the  surplus  boxes.  If  first 
swarms  are  put  into  hives  furnished  with  empty  combs,  they  will 
often  fill  them  in  an  incredible  short  time,  and  swarm  the  same 
season.     For  saving  all  good  pieces  of  comb,  whether  large  or 


54  BEE    PASTURAGE    AND    PRODUCTS 

small,  movable-frame  hives  are  indispensable.  In  filling  up  an 
empty  frame  lay  it  upon  a  table  or  board,  and  fasten  in  the  combs 
by  dipping  an  edge  of  each  piece  into  melted  comb.  The  scraps 
may  be  melted  and  should  not  be  very  hot.  It  soon  cools,  leaving 
the  combs  firmly  attached.  Frames  v/hen  thus  filled  may  be 
given  to  strong  colonies  in  exchange  for  frames  of  honey.  Stocks 
kept  suppHed  in  this  way  through  the  gathering  season,  will 
store  astonishing  quantities  of  honey,  and  in  autumn,  if  any  lack 
provisions  for  winter,  it  is  easy  to  give  them  some  of  the  fuU 
combs  previously  removed. 

HOW  TO  SECURE  STRAIGHT  COMBS. 

The  full  advantage  of  the  movable-comb  prmciple  is  only 
secured  by  having  worker  comb  built  within  all  the  frames. 
Upon  the  first  introduction  of  movable  frames,  bee-keepers  often 
failed  to  prevent  the  bees  from  building  their  combs  across  the 
frames,  as  many  yet  do,  and  until  recently  but  few  attempted  to 
prevent  the  bees  from  building  drone  comb.  Sometimes  strips 
of  comb  are  attached  to  the  under  side  of  the  top  bars  of  the 
frames.  This  is  a  very  good  practice,  as  it  gives  the  bees  a  start 
within  the  frames  with  worker  comb.  The  difiiculty  of  obtaining 
comb  for  the  purpose,  especially  in  long  strips,  made  it  necessary 
to  use  a  wooden  guide,  and  it  was  discovered  that  the  bees  were 
more  certain  to  follow  the  guides  by  elevating  the  rear  end  of  the 
hive.  Tho  best  way  to  secure  straight  combs  is  by  placing  each  empty 
frame  between  two  full  ones.  If  no  full  ones  are  en  hand;  use  comb 
foundation,  which  if  used  altogether  iu  the  brood  nest  will  prevent  tbe 
building  of  much  drone  comb. 


HOW   TO   SECURE   STEAIGHT   COMBS.  55 

Bees  "will  commence  working  on  foundation  combs,  made  of  pure  bees- 
wax, much  sooner  than  on  old  combs,  and  all  the  cells  being  worker 
size,  drone  comb  will  be  entirely  prevented,  but  in  warm  weather  when 
a  large  swarm  is  introduced  into  a  hive  filled  with  foundation  the  heat 
sometimes  becomes  so  great  as  to  cause  the  foundations  to  sag;  to  entire- 
ly overcome  this  objection,  we  recommend  the  following,  from  Mr.  W. 
Davidson,  of  Brooklyn: 

"Punch  two  holes  with  an  awl  in  both  the  top  and  bottom  bar  of  the 
frame,  exactly  opposite  each  other.  Put  No.  24  annealed  wire  through 
these  holes,  passing  it  along  the  top  bar  and  twisting  the  ends  together 
at  the  bottom.  Cut  the  foundation  to  fit  the  frame  loosely,  leaving  one- 
eighth  inch  on  each  side  and  bottom.  Have  some  wax  kept  just  melted 
by  a  lamp.  Lay  the  foundation  aginst  the  wires,  and  shove  it  closely 
aginst  the  top  bar.  Now  pour  a  spoonful  of  wax  against  the  foundation 
at  one  end  of  of  the  top  bar,  and  quickiy  tip  up  the  frame  so  that  it  will 
run  to  the  other  end,  and  the  work  is  done. 

"For  neatness  in  handling  press  the  foundation  close  to  the  wires  and 
fasten  it  in  a  couple  of  places  with  a  drop  of  wax  from  a  brush.  I  doubt 
if  foundation  can  be  fastened  by  any  other  method  more  rapidly." 

"We  have  tried  this  device  of  Mr.  Davidson,  and  have  visited  his  apiary 
to  see  how  the  wires  worked.  It  seems  to  us  that  this  settles  the  ques- 
tion of  sagging. 

"We  are  now  trying  some  frames  with  the  wires  waxed,  and  pressing 
them  close  against  the  foundation,  we  think  one  will  not  be  able  to 
tell  where  the  wires  cross.  Another  advantage  of  this  process  is  that 
the  wires  hold  the  top  bars  of  the  frames  so  tightly  that  they  never  will 
be  pulled  off,  which  sometimes  happens  where  they  are  only  nailed. 


DEFECTIVE    COMBS. 


BKMOVING    DEFECTIVE    COMBS. 


Certain  persons  would  have  us  deprive  our  bees  of  their  comba 
every  two  or  three  years,  and  compel  them  to  build  anew.  This 
we  consider  a  useless  waste  of  the  time  and  material  of  the  bees, 
for  althougn  every  Utter  of  brood  leaves  a  cocoon  or  thin  lining 
in  each  cell,  the  cells  were  large  at  first,  and  the  cocoons  are  so 
thin  that  after  the  lapse  of  ten  years  no  perceptible  difference 
can  be  seen  in  the  size  of  the  bees,  the  combs  meanwhile  be- 
coming warmer  and  safer  for  the  swarm  in  winter.  The  above 
practice  is  universally  condemned  by  our  best  practical  apiarians. 
One  of  them,  while  advocating  the  removal  of  worthless  or  de- 
fective combs,  says : 

"  What  old  bee-keeper  has  not  had  abundant  proof  that  stocks 
light  or  ten  years  old,  or  even  older,  are  often  among  the  very 
best  in  his  whole  apiary."  Stocke  says  he  saw  a  colony  which 
he  was  assured  had  "  swarmed  annually  for  forty -six  years." 

The  common  practice  of  some  bee-keepers,  of  breaking  out  the 
lower  combs  from  common  hives,  if  the  combs  happen  to  be 
dark  colored,  is  to  be  discouraged,  for  when  done  in  early  spring 
the  stock  that  year  will  often  fail  to  be  productive  either  of 
swarms  or  surplus  honey.  Yet  when  movable  frames  are 
used,  if  healthy  stocks  and  early  and  vigorous  swarms  are  de- 
sired, we  should  make  a  general  examination  as  soon  as  spring 
has  fairly  opened,  and  place  every  stock  upon  a  fair  footing  for 
the  work  of  the  season.  Portions  of  the  comb  are  liable  to  be- 
come useless  from  various  causes.  If  the  hive  was  not  properly 
'^entilated,  the    lower  edges  of   combs    may  be    mouldy.      The 


BEE    PASTURAQK    AND    PRODUCTS.  57 

Ibrood  combs  may  contain  old  sour  bee-bread,  which  the  bees  are 
unable  to  remove,  and  this  is  a  frequent  cause  of  failure.  There 
may  be  a  great  excess  of  drone-comb.  If  combs  are  defective 
in  any  of  these  points,  trim  off  so  much  as  is  defective  and  no 
more.  In  the  Eastern  States,  where  the  disease  called  "  foul 
brood  "  is  known,  the  bees  of  the  diseased  stock  must  be  driven 
from  their  combs  into  an  empty  box,  letting  them  remain  with- 
,out  combs  thirty-six  hours,  till  free  from  the  honey  taken  with 
them,  when  they  may  be  put  into  a  new  hive  and  fed  in  the 
3hamber  if  necessary.  Carefully  keep  the  honey  from  the  bees, 
else  other  stocks  will  contract  the  disease.  If  heated  to  the 
boiling  point,  it  is  said,  the  honey  will  be  harmless  and  may  be 
used  for  feeding.  The  disease  has  never  been  known  west  of  the 
State  of  New  York,  bee-keepers  having  been  careful  about  ob- 
taining bees  from  infected  districts. 

MELTING    COMBS    INTO    WAX. 

All  waste  combs  should  be  rendered  into  wax,  by  crowdmg 
them  into  a  sack  made  of  coarse  open  cloth  and  placing  it  in  a 
kettle  of  boiling  water.  Continue  to  press  it  with  a  hoe,  remov- 
ing the  wax  as  it  rises  to  the  top.  Wax  may  be  bleached  per- 
fectly white  by  forming  it  into  thin  fla4j:es,  by  pouring  it  upon 
the  surface  of  tepid  water  and  afterwards  spreading  it  upon  can- 
vas, out  of  doors. 

If  many  hives  are  kept,  it  pays  well  to  have  a  wax  extractor.  It  is 
very  convenient  to  hold  and  drain  the  caps  in  extracting,  (See  "Wax 
Extractors"  page  53). 


CHAPTER    IV. 

THE     EXTEACTOR— COMB-FOUNDATION— SURPLUS    HONEY    IN    BOXES    AND 
EXTRACTED— MARKETING  HONEY. 


THE  HONEY  EXTRACTOR. 


i.  StTRPLUS   HONEY   IN   BOXES   AND   EXTRACTEll,  59 

The  great  object  of  the  beekeeper  is  to  secure  surplus  honey.  All 
management  of  bees  should  look  toward  securing  the  greatest  amount 
of  honey  in  the  best  shape  for  use  and  for  market. 

To  this  end  the  Extractor,  Comb-foundation,  and  boxes  of  uniform 
size  are  now  essentials. 

The  Extractor,  invented  by  Herr  von  Hruschka,  a  German,  residing  in 
Venice,  Italy,  is  a  simple  instrument,  consisting  of  a  cylinderand  a  revolv- 
ing basket  to  hold  the  frame,  and  a  faucet  below  to  draw  off  the  honey. 
It  is  thrown  from  the  comb  by  centrifugal  force  and  the  emptied  comb  re- 
turned to  the  hive  to  be  refilled.  It  is  best  that  the  basket  alone  revolve 
and  not  the  cylinder.  It  is  turned  by  a  simple  gearing  at  the  top.  The 
straight  wire  sides  of  the  basket  support  the  comb  and  prevent  it  from 
breaking. 

Two  combs,  hung  in  opposite  sides  of  the  basket  balance  each  other. 
The  honey  is  thrown  from  one  side  by  a  few  turns  of  the  machine,  after 
which  reverse  the  sides  of  the  comb  and  in  the  same  way  extract  from 
the  other. 

A  little  practice  will  teach  one  how  hard  to  turn  to  extract  the 
honey  and  after  a  little  experience  one  can  soon  learn  how  swift  to  turn 
in  warm  weather  so  as  to  throw  out  the  honey  from  combs  containing 
larvae  without  dislodging  the  bees.  However,  we  would  not  advise  ex- 
tracting from  combs  which  contain  much  larvae. 


UNCAPPING   KNIFE. 

When  honey  is  capped  over, the  caps  must  be  shaved  off  with  a  sharp 
knife  before  extracting.     The  handle  of  the  knife  should  be  bent  so  that 


60 


THE   EXTRACTOB. 


the  fingers  clasped  around  it  will  not  be  in  the  way  in  using  the  knife. 
The  blade  will  run  better  if  the  honey  be  frequently  wiped  ofi  with  a 
warm  rag,  and  especial  care  be  taken  that  no  wax  stick  to  it. 


BEES-WAX  EXTBACTOR. 

The  Wax  Extractor  kept  at  hand,  is  an  excellent  thing  in  which  to 
scrape  the  caps  from  the  knife.  It  is  readily  closed  up  to  keep  out  in- 
sects, the  honey  drains  off  and  can  be  saved,  and  the  clippings  are  ready 
in  it  without  any  handling  for  melting  into  wax. 

Honey  is  not  fully  ripe  until  it  is  sealed  over.  If  extracted  befoia  it 
is  sealed  over  it  will  sometimes  sour  when  put  immediately  into  close 
vessels.  It  should  be  kept  open  to  ripen  by  evapoiation  for  a  time.  A 
better  way  is  this:  after  extracting  honey,  let  it  stand  for  some  hours  in 
a  large  vessel  having  a  cock  at  the  bottom.  The  thin  watery  honey 
which  rises  should  be  fed  to  the  bees,  The  heavy  ripe  honey  will  settle 
to  the  bottom. 

It  should  be  drawn  off  by  a  cock  from  the  bottom  of  the  vessel  and 
canned  or  put  up  in  barrels  or  jars  for  market.  Before  using  barrels 
they  should  be  coated  inside  with  melted  bees- wax,  or  paraffine  to 
prevent  the  honey  from  being  tainted  and  also  to  prevent  leakage.  It  is 
done  by  pouring  a  gallon  or  so  of  hot  wax  into  the  barrel  when  dry  and 


SURPLUS  HONEY  IN  BOXES  AVD  EXTEACTFD.  61 

warm.  It  is  rinsed  around  quickly  so  that  the  whole  surface  is  covered 
and  poured  out  to  be  used  again.  When  packed  directly  for  market 
nice  pound  bottles  put  up  in  crates  of  from  two  to  four  dozen  "will  be 
most  salable.  Grocers  can  readily  handle  it  in  this  shape.  In  some 
places  it  is  just  as  salable  in  self  sealing  fruit  jars.  If  found  to  be  so 
it  is  easily  put  up  in  this  way. 

The  Extractor  is  a  necessary  article  in  every  apiarj'  for  many  reasons. 
In  good  honey  harvests,  bees  will  often  fill  up  the  brood  nest  with  honey 
so  that  there  is  little  room  left  for  the  queen  to  lay  eggs.  "\Mien  this  is 
done  the  bees  necessarily  dwindle  and  sometimes  become  so  weak  as  to 
be  unfit  to  keep  over  winter.  Whereas  by  extracting  the  honey  firom 
the  combs  the  queen  has  room  to  lay  eggs,  the  bees  are  stimulated  to 
greater  activity,  and  the  hive  is  kept  strong  for  future  work.  By  ex- 
tracting freely  during  a  honey  harvest  far  more  honey  can  be  secured 
than  otherwise,  because  the  bees  are  thus  kept  working  at  their  best  all 
the  time.  Again,  much  honey  will  will  be  stored  in  the  broodnest  in 
the  fall  when  they  will  not  make  comb  or  store  honey  in  surplus  boxes, 
Daless  honey  is  plentiful  in  the  fields,  extracting  should  be  done  in  a 
olosed  room  from  which  bees  are  excluded. 

It  is  best  to  have  an  extra  set  of  combs  in  extracting,  and  open  a  hive 
t)ut  once,  smoking  it  well  if  the  bees  are  cross.  As  the  frames  are  re- 
moved one  by  one  into  a  carrying-box,  the  empty  ones  should  take  their 
places,  and  the  hive  be  closed  up. 

COMB-FOUNDATION. 

Bees  consume  much  honey  in  building  comb.  They  cannot  store 
honey,  or  raise  brood,  without  it;  and  when  left  to  build  it  they  will 
not  begin  to  build  until  the  honey  harvest  opens.  A  farmer  may  suc- 
ceed, if  he  has  hands  sufficient,  in  housing  a  good  crop,  though  he  has 
tool-;  and  fences  to  make,  and  granaries  to  build  after  the  seeding  time 
opens,  but  with  the  same  help  he  cannot  secure  and  house  as  much  as 


62 


COMB-FOUNDATION. 


"when  the  necessary  implements  are  ready  at  hand.  So  bees  will  gather 
honey  and  develop  much  more  rapidly  when  they  have  comb  ready  at 
hand  when  the  harvest  opens.  Sometimes^  if  left  to  themselves,  they  build 
so  much  drone  comb  that,  unless  the  hives  are  watched  and  the  drone 
comb  removed,  a  large  lot  of  useless  drones  are  reared  at  quite  a  cost  of 
time  and  honey. 

Hence  beekeepers  have  long  felt  the  need  of  some  way  of 
furnishing  hives  with  comb  already  built.  Attempts  were  made, 
but  not  until  recently  was  a  machine  perfected  which  fully  answered 
the    purpose    of    making  artificial   comb-foundation.     By    it    sheets 


COMB-FOUND  ATT  ON  MACHINE. 


of    pure    wax    are    impressed  with   the   exact   shape  of  the  bottoms 
and  beginning  of  the  side-walls  of  the  cells.      Bees  readily  accept  them 


SURPLUS  HOKEY  IN  BOXES  AND  EXTRACTED.  63 

and  lengthen  out  the  walls  of  the  cells.  These  sheets  of  comb-foundation 
are  very  useful  in  the  brood-nest.  They  answer  best  when  they  contain 
five  or  six  square  feet  to  the  pound.  They  are  fastened  to  the  top  bars 
in  different  ways.  Some  laj'  a  sheet  flat  on  the  top  bar  with  the  edge 
near  the  edge  of  the  bar,  and  smooth  it  down  firmly  to  the  wood  with  a 
piece  of  iron,  then  tack  a  narrow  strip  over  this  into  the  top  bar  and 
bend  it  at  right  angles  so  as  to  hang  in  the  centre  of  the  frame.  It  should 
not  come  within  less  than  half  an  inch  of  each  end  and  bottom  of  the 
frame.  Others  fasten  them  simply  with  the  strip ;  bnt  perhaps  the  best 
way  is  to  fasten  them  in  small  grooves  made  in  the  under  side  of  the  top 
bar  with  white  glue  or  wax.     Wax  is  preferable . 

In  the  broodnest  comb-foundation  is  exceedingly  useful  Sometimes 
bees  accept  it  almost  immediately,  and  within  twenty-four  hours  the 
beginning  of  the  side-walls  are  lengthened  into  walls  of  cells,  and  the 
queen  busy  laying  eg^s  in  them.  They  should  be  made  of  pure  bees- wax 
and  not  of  paraffine  or  ceresin.  They  are  especially  useful  in  securing  fall 
honey  where  it  is  abundant.  If  the  full  combs  for  winter  use  are  set  away 
and  comb-foundation  or  empty  comb  inserted,  bees  will  work  with  mar- 
velous rapidity.  At  the  close  of  the  harvest  they  can  be  removed  and 
the  sealed  honey  returned  for  the  winter.  Sometimes  this  late  fall 
honey  is  very  nice  in  flavor  and  appearance.  The  sheets  if  used  in  sur- 
plus boxes  should  be  thinner  than  those  in  the  broodnest  because  some- 
times bees  will  not  thin  them  as  they  do  at  others. 

By  using  strips  of  comb-foundation  in  boxes  or  section-frames  bees 
are  stimulated  to  work  on  them  more  rapidly  than  otherwise,  and  honey 
combs  more  regular  in  appearance  are  obtained. 

HOXEY  BOXES. 

The  size  and  shape  of  honey  boxes  should  be  modified  on  one  hand 
by  the  habits  of  the   bee,   and  on  the  other  bj'-  the  demands  of  trade. 


64  HONEY  BOXES. 

Boxes  should  be  of  uniform  size  so  as  to  be  interchangeable  and  so  as  to- 
be  packed  for  mirket  in  crates  of  uniform  size. 

Formerly  long  low  and  wide  boxes  were  used  and  these  taken  off  and 
sent  to  market  just  as  they  were  without  separating  the  combs.  This 
mode  was  found  very  objectionable  because  the  package  was  too  large 
for  convenient  retail  trade,  and  because  the  honey  must  be  cut  up  to 
get  at  small  quantities.  This  breaking  up  of  honey  causes  great  loss, 
daubs  up  the  store,  and  drawes  flies  so  that  many  grocerymen  decid- 
edly object  to  handling  it. 

Later,  section  boxes  were  prefered  which  had  little  grooves  through 
which  the  groner  could  split  them  up  into  boxes  containing  single 
combs.  These  answered  better  but  sometimes  combs  will  be  built  ir- 
regularly in  them  unless  separators  are  used.  Separate  sections  with 
glass  on  each  side  are  popular  in  some  sections,  but  consumers  will  soon 
tire  of  paying  for  unnecessai-y  glass.  So  too,  by  some,  boxes  with  four 
sides  of  glass  are  advocated.  They  supply  a  demand  where  there  is 
a  sufficient  call  for  fancy  styles  as.  will  pay  the  extra  prices.  Honey 
may  be  secured  in  various  fancy  shapes,  hearts,  circles,  &c. ,  and  sold 
to  confectioners  for  weddings  and  other  extra  occasions  at  a  great  price. 
This  is  done  by  cutting  the  holes  in  plank  or  sections  and  placing  them 
in  frames  in  the  hive.  Bees  will  fill  tumblers  and  glass  jars  of  anjr 
shape  if  a  piece  of  comb  be  attached  for  a  commencement,  and  they  are 
put  over  the  cluster  in  time.  They  should  be  put  on  early  to  be  nicely 
filled  with  pure  white  honey. 

But  aside  from  fancy  purposes  the  great  mass  of  honey  must  be  put 
up  in  small  convenient  packages  to  suit  the  retail  trade  in  order  to  in- 
crease consumption.  Bees  alone  can  pack  comb  nicely  in  boxes  so  as 
to  prevent  waste.  In  other  pursuits  a  "middle  man"  does  the  packing: 
and  preparing  for  the  retail  market.     Here  the  bee-keeper  must  make 


SUBPLUS  HONEY  IN  BOXES  AND  EXTBACTED.  65 

his  bees  do  it.  Boxes  should  contain  but  a  single  comb  and  from  one 
to  three  pounds  of  hone}^  In  some  places  the  smaller  boxes  retail  best, 
in  others  the  larger.  Other  things  being  equal  bees  store  honey  better 
in  a  two  or  three  pound  box  than  in  one  smaller  though  they  will  start 
well  in  smaller  ones  if  they  are  arranged  in  a  large  frame  so  that  the 
bees  and  air  can  pass  freely  from  one  to  another.  Small  boxes  have 
this  advantage— that  when  placed  at  the  side  of  the  brood  nest,  the 
queen  is  not  apt  to  lay  eggs  in  them.  Perhaps  the  sixe  of  box  which 
one  adopts  should  be  regulated  to  some  extent  by  the  size  of  the  hive  he 
is  using.  Two  tiers  of  boxes  may  be  placed  in  the  brood  nest  in  wide 
frames  and  in  these  from  two  to  four  boxes  long  according  to  size  of  the 
hive.  Thus  a  large  frame  to  fit  the  broodnest  will  hold  from  four  to  eight 
of  the  small  ones.  There  may  be  either  two  tiers  of  the  wide  frames 
holding  the  boxes,  or  two  tiers  of  boxes  in  one  wide  frame.  If  the  caps 
are  shallower  than  the  broodnest  the  cases  should  be  half  the  depth  of 
the  frame  and  hold  one  tier  of  the  boxes.  Bees  store  honey  more  rapid- 
ly in  the  broodnest,  at  times  than  in  the  cap,  but  they  will  seal  it  up 
more  rapidly  above.  Strips  of  tin  one-half  inch  narrower  than  the 
inside  depth  of  the  honey  box  should  be  tacked  on  one  side  of  the 
wide  frames  so  as  to  prevent  the  passage  of  bees  above  and  below.  Bees 
will  not  attach  comb  to  tin,  aud  by  its  use  straight  combs  are  gotten  in 
the  frames  which  will  pac^  closely  without  mashing,  The  tops  and 
sides  of  the  wide  frame  which  holds  the  boxes  should  be  two  inches 
wide  and  fit  closely  together  in  the  hive.  The  bottom  should  be  one 
and  three-fourths  wide  and  tacked  in  the  centre  at  the  bottom  so  that 
when  two  are  used  side  by  side  bees  can  enter  from  below  between  them. 
For  the  same  reason  both  the  bottom  and  top  of  the  boxes  should  he- 
one  and  three-fourths  inches  wide  and  the  sides  two  inches.  If  desired 
boxes  thus  arranged  may  be  covered  with  glass  after  they  are  taken. 


gg  HONEY    BOXES. 

from  the  hive.  The  glass  is  fastened  in  by  tin  tacks  driren  into  the  top 
and  bottom  and  bent  over  it. 

The  best  mode  of  management  seems  to  be  that  which  will  enable  the 
bee-keeper  to  place  boxes  in  the  broodnest,  separated  from  it  by  a  wire 
cloth  division  board  if  they  are  of  large  sixe,  and  so  arranged  that  when 
full  they  may  be  removed  to  the  upper  chamber  to  be  capped  over,  and 
empty  combs  with  starters  of  comb-foundation  put  in  their  places. 
When  boxes  are  not  used  at  the  sides  of  the  broodnest  two  tiers  should 
at  times  be  used  in  the  upper  box.  "When  the  boxes  in  the  first  tier  are 
nearly  full  and  much  of  it  sealed  over  remove  the  wide  frames  contain- 
ing them,  bees  and  all,  after  smoking  thom  well,  and  place  frames  full 
of  empty  boxes  in  there  places ;  giving  entrance  through  the  tops  of  two 
or  three  to  the  full  ones,  which  should  be  placed  above  them.  This  will 
prevent  the  difficulty  often  experienced  of  getting  bees  to  work  in 
empty  boxes  when  full  ones  are  removed .  By  the  time  the  upper  tier 
of  boxes  are  finished  the  lower  one  will  generally  be  half  or  two-thirds 
full.  The  upper  tier  of  boxes  may  now  be  removed  without  trouble  and 
stored  away,  and  the  lower  tier  again  raised  and  other  empty  ones  with 
starters  of  comb -foundation  put  in  their  places.  This  does  not  necessi- 
tate entering  the  body  of  the  hive  and  the  more  timid  may  follow  it 
with  success.  A  very  good  plan  when  the  bee-keeper  has  not  time 
to  manipulate,  is  to  use  section  boxes  held  together  with  strips  of  man- 
ilia  paper. 

Comb-honey  must  be  preserved  from  worms  after  it  is  taken  from  the 
hive.  In  warm  weather  many  worms  will  hatch  upon  it  and  as  they 
feed  entirely  on  wax,  they  will,  if  unmolested,  eat  off  the  wax  which 
seals  the  honey  and  cause  it  to  trickle  down  in  a  very  unmarketable 
condition.  This  can  be  prevented  by  placing  the  box  honey  when  re- 
moved in  a  small  warm  room  or  box  where  the  miller  eggs  will  hatch. 


SUBPLUS  HONEY  IN  BOXES  AND  EXTRACTED.  67 

and  smoking  tiiem  well  with  brimstone  two  or  three  times  at  intervals 
of  twelve  or  fifteen  davs,  using  at  the  rate  of  a  pound  of  sulphur  for 
every  250  to  300  cubic  feet  contained  in  the  room  or  box. 

MAKKETING   HONEY. 

Honey ,  like  other  products,  must  generally  be  sold  in  quantities  to 
wholesale  men  who  distribute  it  according  to  the  necessities  of  trade. 
These  wholesale  merchants,  can  themselves  repack  extracted  honey,  yet 
as  they  are  apt  to  adulterate  it,  the  bee-keeper  himself  should  pack 
in  small  parcels  with  from  two  to  four  dozen  jars  in  a  case,  to  suit  the 
trade,  placing  his  own  Dame  and  apiary  on  each  jar  and  also  labeling  it 
as  to  its  source  and  quality. 

It  is  more  important  that  comb  honey  should  be  packed  to  suit  the 
retail  trade,  because  only  bees  can  properly  arrange  and  secure  it.  The 
combs  should  be  in  small  frames  or  boxes  two  inches  wide  and  contain, 
ing  from  one  to  three  pounds.  Glass  may  be  added  at  the  sides  or  not 
according  to  the  demands  of  the  market.  These  boxes  should  be  packed 
in  crates  holding  from  two  to  four  dozen  according  to  size. 


HONEY   CRATE. 


The  crates  should  be  made  in  the  simplest  way.  The  two  ends  should 
be  of  seven-eighths  of  au  inch  boards,  one-fourth  inch  longer  and  deeper 
than  the  measurement  of  the  boxes  to  be  inserted.     Two  strips  from 


68 


USES   OP  HONEY. 


seven-eighths  to  one  and  one-half  inches  wide  as  best  suits  the  glass  to 
be  used,  between  are  nailed  on  each  side  one  at  the  top  and  the  other  at 
the  bottom.  These  strips  have  a  rabbet  made  for  glass  on  one  edge. 
They  are  nailed  two  on  each  side  even  with  the  top  and  bottom  of  the 
ends  Glass  of  the  proper  size  is  slipped  into  the  grooves  and  secured 
by  till  tacks  driven  into  the  end  pieces  and  bent  over  the  glass.  The 
bottom  and  top  are  made  by  nailing  or  screwing  on  one-half  inch  boards. 
These  crates  just  answer  the  purpose  of  the  retail  dealer.  The 
honey  is  shown  through  the  glass,  and  the  lid  keeps  out  flies  and  in- 
sects. These  crates  may  be  returned  if  sold  to  a  grocer  near  by  and  re- 
filled the  next  year.  With  rubber  tubing  tacked  around  the  crate  they 
may  be  shipped  anywhere  with  perfect  safety.  But  perhaps  a  better  and 
cheaper  spring  is  made  by  placing  the  crate  in  an  extra  box  with  small 
j^re  coil  springs  on  each  side. 


USES   OF  HONEY. 

From  time  immemorial  honey  has  held  an  important  position  among 
useful  products.  In  the  Bible  it  is  used  to  illustrate  the  highest  spiri- 
tual enjoyments.  The  judgments  of  the  Lord  are  said  to  be  "sweeter 
also  than  honey  and  the  honey  comb. " 

In  ancient  times  honey  was  not  only  used  as  an  article  of  diet  but 


SURPLUS  HONET  IN  BOXES  AND  EXTRACTED.  CO 

held  also  an  important  place  among  medicines.  In  this  age  of  chemis 
try  and  new  and  patent  medicines,  almost  any  one  of  which  will  cure 
any  disease  from  toothache  to  cancer  or  consumption,  the  virtues  of 
such  an  old  fashioned  article  as  honey  are  almost  lost  sight  of;  but 
'when  quackery  shall  have  had  its  day,  it  will  again  be  found,  we  believe, 
that  there  is  great  virtue  in  honey,  especially  in  diseases  affecting  the 
lungs  and  throat. 

Many  of  the  old  doctor  books  give  receipts  for  the  medical  use  of 
honey.  In  the  Paris  catalogue  of  edibles  and  drinkables  says  John 
Hunter;  in  his  "Manual  of  Bee-Keeping:"  "Were  shown  honey-bread, 
spiced  bread,  fruits  preserved  in  honey,  jellies,  sweetmeats,  cakes, 
bon  bons,  pastiles,  and  chocolates,  whilst  for  eau  de  me  we  need  not 
leave  old  England,  seeing  it  is  made  both  fi:©m  honey  and  wax.  Then 
we  have  hydromel,  or  metheglin,  champagne,  red  and  white  wines, 
liquors,  fruit  syrups,  vinegar  and  fruit  cordials.  This  is  a  pretty  list 
of  delicacies  for  our  housewives  to  exercise  their  ingenuity  and  skill 
upon.  Regretfully  I  say  I  have  no  knowledge  how  to  make  most  of 
these  good  things. "  He  thus  describes  the  process  of  making  metheg- 
lin: "When  the  comb  has  been  drained  of  its  honey,  put  it  in  a  large 
vessel,  then  pour  in  sufficient  luke  warm  water  to  swim  it  nicely.  Let 
it  stand  two  days,  stir  occasionally,  then  strain  it.  Skim  the  scum 
from  the  liquor  carefully,  filter  the  sediment  through  a  flannel,  then  boil 
one  hour.  To  three  gallons  add  two  pounds  of  raisins,  one  ounce  ground 
ginger,  and  seven  or  eight  laurel  leaves,  then  cool.  Add  a  little  brewers* 
yeast,  let  it  stand  part  of  a  day,  then  barrel  it,  leaving  the  barrel  open 
for  two  or  three  days ;  bung  it  up  and  let  it  remain  untouched  for  six 
months,  then  bottle  it.  *  *  The  longer  it  is  kept  the  better  it  will 
be. "  If  an  egg  will  float  on  the  liquor  it  will  be  about  the  right  strength. 
Metheglin  may  of  course  be  made  from  run  honey,  but  by  soaking  the 


70  USES   OF   HONEY. 

combs  in  \>  ater  we  utilize  the  honey  which  would  otherwise  be  lost,  A 
little  lump  of  sugar  put  in  each  bottle  will  make  it  as  fine  as  brandy. 

Honey  vinegar  is  made  as  follows:  Put  a  half  pound  of  hone}'  to  a 
quart  of  water,  boiling  hot ;  mix  well,  and  expose  to  the  greatest  heat  of 
the  sun  without  closing  the  vessel  containing  it,  but  sufficiently  so  to 
keep  out  insects.  In  about  six  weeks  this  liquor  becomes  acid  and 
changes  to  strong  vinegar  of  an  excellent  quality. 

Honey  is  prescribed  by  the  medical  council  of  Great  Britain  for  use  in 
the  following  pharmaceutical  preparations,  viz. :  Confection  of  pepper, 
confection  of  scammony,  confection  of  turpentine,  honey  and  borax, 
oxymel  of  squills,  aud  simple  oxymel.  It  is  used  in  various  medical 
preparations  also.  In  America  increasing  attention  is  beine:  given  to 
the  medical  properties  of  honey. 

Honey  Cake,  No.  1 — John  Hunter's. — "Mix  a  quart  of  s'trained 
honey  with  a  half  pound  of  powdered  white  sugar,  half  a  pound  of  fresh 
butter  and  the  juice  of  two  oranges  or  lemons.  Warm  these  ingredients 
sUghtly,  just  enough  to  soften  the  butter,  and  then  stir  the  mixture 
very  hard,  adding  a  grated  nutmeg.  Mix  in  gradually  two  pounds  or 
less  of  sifted  flour,  make  it  into  a  dough  just  stilf  enough  to  roll  out  easily 
and  beat  it  well  all  over  with  a  rolling  pin,  then  roll  it  out  into  a  large 
sheet  half  an  inch  thick,  cut  it  into  round  cakes  with  the  top  of  a 
tumbler  dipped  frequently  in  flour,  lay  them  in  shallow  tin  pans, 
slightly  buttered  and  bake  them. " 

Honey  Cakes, No. 2. — Soak  three  cups  of  dried  apples  over  night;  chop 
slightly  and  simmer  in  two  coffee  cups  of  honey  for  two  hours,  then  add 
one  and  a  half  coffee  cups  of  honey,  one  half  coffee  cup  of  sugar,  one 
coffee  cup  of  melted  butter,  three  eggs,  two  teaspoons  saleratus,  cloves, 
cinnamon, powdered  lemon  or  orange  peel,and  ginger  syrup, if  you  have 
it.    Mix  all  together,  add  the  apples  and  thin  flour  enough  for  a  stiff 


SURPLUS  HONEY  IN  BOXES  AND  EXTRACTED.  Vl 

batter.     Bake  in  a  slow  oven.     This  will   make  two  good  sized  cakes. 

Honey  Cakes,  No.  3 — Muth's. — One  gallon  of  honey,  (dark  honey  is 
best,)  fifteen  eggs,  three  pounds  of  sugar,  (a  little  more  honey  in  its 
place  may  be  better),  one  and  a  half  ounces  of  baking  soda,  two  ounces 
of  hartshorn,  two  pounds  of  almonds  (chopped  up),  two  pounds  of 
citron,  four  ounces  of  cinnamon,  two  ounces  of  cloves,  two  ounces  of 
mace,  eighteen  pounds  of  flour.  Let  the  honey  come  to  ^Imost  a  boil; 
then  let  it  cool  off  again  and  add  the  ingredients.  Cut  out  and  bake. 
The  cakes  are  iced  afterward  with  sugar  and  the  white  of  eggs. 

Honey  Pudding.  — Three  pints  thinly  sliced  apples,  one  pint  of  honey 
one  pint  of  corn  meal,  small  piece  of  butter,  one  teaspoonful  soda,  the 
juice  of  two  lemons  and  their  grated  rinds.  Stir  the  dry  soda  into  the 
honey,  then  add  the  apples,  melted  butter  and  a  little  salt ;  now,  add 
the  lemon  rind  and  juice  and  at  once  stir  in  the  flour.  Bake  one  hour. 
Serve  hot  or  cold  with  sauce. 

Honey  Mead  is  a  drink  which  is  becoming  popular  in  some  of  our 
cities  within  the  past  few  years.  We  do  not  favor  drinking,  but  if  men 
must  drink  something,  we  think  the  more  innocent  the  drink  the  better 
for  them. 

CiTT  bee-keeping. 

In  the  whole  round  6f  natural  history,  nothing  is  more  interesting 
than  the  study  of  the  honey  bee.  Not  only  those  who  live  in  the  coun- 
try, but  almost  anywhere  in  our  land,  a  few  "bees  may  be  kept  with 
pleasure  and  profit.  A  single  hive,  with  an  "Observing  Hive  "  filled 
from  it  in  the  summer  and  placed  in  the  parlor  (see  "Observing  Hive") 
will  furnish  means  to  test  and  study  the  curious  things  about  the  bee. 

Not  only  is  this  true  in  oiir  smaller  towns  and  smaller  cities,  but  even 
in  the  heart  of  our  largest  cities,  bees  will  find  pasturage  among  the 
millions  of  flowers  that  bloom  under  every  window  that  decks  the  lawns 


72  USES   OF   HONET. 

And  gardens  and  walks,  and  from  many  of  the  maple,  locusts  and  other 
shade  trees  along  the  streets  and  parks.  Besides,  bees  will  fly  three  or 
four  miles  for  pasturage  with  profit. 

Mr.W.  J.  Pettitt  has,  for  a  nixmber  of  years,  conducted  successfully  an 
apiary  of  some  fifty  or  sixty  hives  of  bees  in  the  heart  of  the  city  of  Dover, 
England,  which  find  a  good  living  and  a  surplus  for  the  owner  among 
the  innumerable  flowers  of  various  species  that  fringe  the  jutting  edges 
of  the  white  cliffs  about  Dover 

Mr.  Charles  F.  Muth,  well  known  to  the  apiarians  of  the  "West,  has, 
for  several  years,  kept  an  apiary  in  the  city  of  Cincinnati;  which,  we 
believe,  numbers  between  twenty  and  thirty  hives.  He  is  quite  an 
enthusiast,  and  finds  them  very  interesting  and  profitable. 

Being  perfectly  satisfied  of  the  feasibility  of  city  beekeeping,  we  have 
procured  a  large  number  of  bees,  and  through  courtesy  of  Mr.  Hol- 
land, president  of  the  American  Express  Company,  we  have  establish- 
ed an  interesting  apiary  upon  the  roof  of  their  large  building,  61  Hudson 
street,  New  York,  in  the  management  of  which  we  anticipate  much 
pleasure.  We  have  no  fears  as  to  the  source  of  their  supplies,  and  we 
recommend  beekeeping  as  a  profitable  industry,  to  assist  many  families 
in  this,  and  the  outskirts  of  other  towns  where  there  is  space  for  placing 
them. 

It  was  the  ojiinion  of  Huish,  a  distinguished  English  writer  on  bees, 
in  1817,  that  within  the  circumference  of  ten  miles  of  London,  amjale 
provision  might  be  found  for  the  support  of  ten  thousand  hives.  Since 
that  time  developments  of  this  industry  show  that  he  has  underrated 
rather  than  overrated  the  capacity  for  bees,  especially  when  applied  to 
our  land  of  flowers. 


STTBPLUS   HONEY   IN   BOXES   AND   EXTBACTED.  73 

THB  BEK-KEBFINa  INDTTSTRT. 

P»le*tme  was  called  *'a  land  that  floweth  with  milk  and  honey,"  and 
with  more  truth,  may  the  same  be  applied  to  our  own  country.  Until 
two  centuries  ago,  honey  held  its  place  as  the  great  sweet  of  the  world. 
The  art  of  refining  sugar,  caused  it  to  be  left  far  behind,  because  the  bee- 
keeper still  pursued  the  old  plan  of  annually  murdering  his  failhfal 
workers,  to  get  their  stores. 

Honey  has  ever  been  considered  of  great  medicinal  power -in  certain 
classes  of  diseases,  and  is  very  palatable  to  a  large  proportion  of  people, 
but  the  small  supply  of  the  article  and  the  inferiority  of  that  which 
under  old  methods  of  squeezing  and  draining  from  the  mashed  combs 
caused  it  to  fall  into  comparative  disuse.  But  within  a  generation 
greater  strides  have  been  made  in  the  development  of  this  industry 
than  in  any  other.  Sugar  can  be  produced  and  refined  only 
with  a  great  amount  of  capital,  but  every  family  throughout  the  land 
can  help  to  swell  the  products  of  this  industry  and  the  number  of  both 
large  and  small  bee-keepers  is  increasing  with  amazing  rapidity.  Even 
the  cotton  gin  added  no  more  to  its  appropriate  industry  than  has  the 
various  improvements  of  movable  comb  hives,  extractors,  comb-founda- 
tion, queen  rearing,  wax  machines,  smokers,  modes  of  wintering  and 
means  of  protecting  the  person  from  stings,  added  to  the  bee-keeping 
industry.  "We  cannot  too  strongly  reiterate  the  absolute  necessity  now 
for  these  improvements,  To  do  without  them  now,  in  bee-culture  is  as 
bad  as  the  man  who  attempts  to  ' '  seed  cotton  "  for  a  li\-ing  in  these  days 
of  ootton  gins  and  steam  manufacturing  mills.     . 

In  speaking  of  this  great  industry  we  know  not  hardly  where  to  begin. 
There  are  now  three  or  four  magazines  devoted  exclusively  to  the  sub- 
ject.    Many  bee-keepers'  conventions,  State,  local,    and  national,  have 


71  THE    BEE-KEEPING   INDUSTRY. 

been  organized  and  conducted  with  enthusiasm.  Not  only  is  the  con- 
sumption of  honey  greatly  increased  at  home,  but  a  large  foreign  trade 
in  this  article  has  sprung  up  which  is  checked  only  by  the  lack  of  supply. 
Thousands  all  through  the  land  are  awaking  to  this  source  of  revenue 
otherwise  wasted  around  them.  There  is  great  probability  that  ere  long 
the  market  will  be  supplied  with  a  superior  article  of  sugar,  made 
from  honey,  besides  its  use  directly  in  its  natural  state.  Already  the 
honey  statistics  of  our  country  are  enormous.  Bees  were  first  introduc- 
ed west  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  in  1853.  Within  these  twenty-fivo 
years  the  name  California  has  become  associated  with  immense  quanti- 
ties of  honey.  Mr.  J.  S.  Harbison  reached  New  York,  in  1876,  with 
his  great  shipment  of  honey,  produced  in  his  six  apiaries  in  San  Diego 
county,  California.  This  shipment  consisted  of  ten  car  loads,  each 
containing  20,000  pounds,  or  200,000  in  all.  In  Los  Angelos  county 
we  are  told  that  there  are  not  less  than  200  apiaries,  and  over  12,000 
hives,  from  which  over  500,000  pounds  of  surplus  honey  are  taken  an- 
nually. The  income  of  Mr.  J,  S,  Harbison,  derived  from  honey  alone, 
is  said  to  be  more  than  $25,000  per  annum,  over  and  above  all  expenses.. 
In  the  State  of  New  York,  Captain  J.  E.  Hetherington,  of  Cherry  Valley,, 
sold,  in  1874,  over  58,000  pounds  of  honey  from  his  own  apiaries,  andi 
Adam  Grim,  of  Jefferson,  Wisconsin  as  much  more.  But  we  will  not 
further  name  individual  incomes.  Last  year  Mr.  G.  M.  Doolittle,  of 
Onondaga  county,  N.  Y.,  reportsthathesecuredll,177pounds  of  honey 
from  sixty-seven  hives  of  bees,  being  an  average  jneld  of  166|  pounds 
per  hive.  Of  two  stocks  worked  solely  for  extracted  honey,  one  gave 
566  pounds  of  honey.  Of  three  worked  solely  for  box  honey,  one 
gave  309  pounds;  the  second,  301,  and  the  third,  286,  making  in  all 
896  pounds  of  box  honey  from  three  hives.  Mr.  Doolittle,  the  recipient 
of  the  medal  for  honey  at  the  National  Bee-keepers'  Convention,  in  New 


SUBPIitrS  HOKET  IN  BOXES  AND  EXTRACTED.  75 

York  City,  in  October,  1877,  thus  closes  his  report  for  that  year;  "In 
conclusion  we  would  say,  that  with  a  practical  apiarist,  bee-keeping  is  a 
profitable  business,  even  at  the  present  prices  of  honey.  We  have 
cleared  nearly  $6,000  from  our  bees,  free  of  all  expenses,  within  the  last 
five  years,  with  an  average  of  about  fifty  stocks,  in  the  spring  of  each 
year.  However,  bee-keeping  only  pays  when  our  pets  are  properly 
cared  for,  and  if  any  one  cannot  spend  the  amount  of  time  required,  he 
had  bettei  keep  out  of  the  business. " 

The  late  Mr.  M.  Quinby,  in  his  work  on  bees,  claimed  that  every  acre 
of  land  would,  on  an  average,  yield  one  pound  of  honey.  This  is 
surely  a  small  estimate.  The  State  of  New  York  alone  has  30,000,000 
acres,  yet  she  has  never  gathered  over  400,000  pounds  of  honey.  What 
a  waste,  all  over  our  land,  because  bees  are  lackiug  to  gather  the  honey! 
Mr.  Harbison  says  that  the  honey  thus  lost  annually  in  California,  is  of 
more  value  than  the  gold  gathered.  What  a  field  for  future  work?  The 
profit  realized  from  intelligent  bee-keeping,  averages  from  one  to  twa 
hundred  per  cent  on  the  capital  invested.  It  is  at  the  same  time  a  busi- 
ness in  which  any  one  with  limited  means  may  embark.  Surely  this- 
is  a  fine  outlook  for  the  future.  What  Mr.  Harbison  says  of  California 
is  proportionally  true  of  most  sections  of  our  land.  We  will  close  with 
a  brief  statemsnt  of  this  industry.  At  present  about  two  million  bee- 
hives are  kept  by  the  70,000  bee-keepers  of  America.  These  are  estimat- 
ed to  yield  on  an  average  twenty-two  pounds  of  honey,  which  at  twenty- 
five  cents  per  pound,  would  be  $8,800,000  for  the  crop.  The  wax  is- 
estimated  at  20,000,000  pounds;  worth  $6,000,000,  or  a  total  revenue  of 
$14,800,000  annually  from  these  busy  insects.  Of  this  $1,200,000  worth 
of  honey  and  $700,000  worth  of  wax  are  annually  exported.  With  the 
rapid  increase  of  the  business  what  will  they  be  twenty-five  years  hence? 


76 


FOE   THE   BEGINNER. 


Inasmuch  as  there  are  many  questions  which  beginners  ask,  we  pro- 
pose in  this  article  to  be  more  explicit  for  their  benefit,  than  we  would 
be  to  advanced  apiarists.,  especially  in  the  explanation  of  words  and 
implements  used  in  modern  bee-keeping. 

The  word  bee,  is  of  good  old  Anglo-Saxon  origin,  and  we  like  it.  Apis 
is  the  Latin  word  meaning  a  bee,  from  which  we  get  the  word  apiary, 
meaning  a  place  where  hees  are  kept;  apiarian  meaning  one  who  keeps 


VIEW   OF   OUR   HOME   APIARY,  AT  NEVADA,   OHIO,  1869. 


l)ees ;  and  api  culture,  which  is  the  same  as  bee-culture.  "We  sometimes 
«ee  the  word  '^mel-extrador."  Mel  is  the  Latin  word  for  honey.  Hence, 
mel-extractor  means  honey-extractor;  and  "apis-melifica"  means  the 
honey  making  bee.  This  term  is  applied  especially  to  the  black  bee 
in  natural  history,  whilst  others  are  distinguished  by  some  local  adjec- 
tive as  apis  ligustica,  meaning  the  ligurian,  or  Italian  bee. 

If  you  watch  a  hive  of  bees  in  spring,  you  will  see  many  coming  in 


BUKPLUS  HONEY  IN  BOXES  AND  EXTEACTED 


77 


■vdth  little  balls  on  their  hind  legs.  Some  of  them  j-^ellow  and  some  of 
other  colors.  Some  ignorant  people  suppose  that  this  is  wax.  It  is 
pollen,  or  powdered  farina,  gathered  from  the  stamens  of  flowers.  It 
is  of  very  disagreable  taste,  and  care  should  be  taken  that  none  be  mixed 


HONEY- COMB. 

a— Drone-cells.  c— Worker-cells. 

&— Deformed-cells.  rf— Queen-cell. 

with  onr  honey.     It  is  used  largely  in  rearing  young  bees     On  opening 

a  hive,  you  will  often  find  it  stuck  tight  with  some  dark  colored  sticky 

stuff,  that  gums  your  hand  on  handling  the  frames.     It  is  ^  ^propolis"  a 


78  BEE  S   TONGUE. 

glue  obtained  from  certain  plants,  which  bees  use  for  gluing  up  all  cre- 
vices and  making  the  hive  tight.  Drones  and  queen  bees  do  not  sting. 
They  may  be  handled  with  impunity.  Only  worker  bees  sting.  A 
little  experience  will  enable  you  to  tell  the  loud  coarse  buzzing  sound 
of  a  flying  drone  from  the  softened  hum  of  the  worker.  And  the  keen 
mad  hum,  when  about  to  sting,  is  easily  distinguished  from  the  gentle 
hum  of  a  worker  bee  when  attending  to  his  regular  duties.  You  should 
examine  some  cogib  and  learn  to  tell  the  difierence  between  worker 
comb,  in  which  an  inch  measures  across  the  top  of  five  cells,  whilst 
four  drone  cells  measure  an  inch  in  the  same  way. 

Honey  will  be  put  in  either,  and  sometimes  the  cells  are  considerably 
lengthened  out  to  hold  honey.  If  the  walls  of  cells  are  broken  off,  bees 
will  soon  build  them  up  when  honey  is  gotten. 


KEE  S  TONGUE. 

The  antennae  of  a  bee  are  two  little  organs  sticking  up  like  horns,  on 
the  front  of  the  head,  sometimes  called  "feelers."  They  seem  to  be  the 
organs  of  touch,  and  are  the  means  of  intercommunication  of  knowl- 
edge The  ligula,  commonly  called  the  tongue,  is  folded  when  at 
rest,  but  when  at  work  it  is  darted  rapidly  among  the  flowers;  receives 


SITBPLUS    HONEY   IN   BOXES    AND    EXTEACTED.  79 

-the  honey  and  conveys  it  to  the  honey-sacs,  from  which  it  is  emptied 
into  the  cells.  The  engraving  shows  how  the  tongue  appears  when 
magnified.  A  is  the  hollow  tube  through  which  the  sweet  juice  or 
honey  is  sucked.  The  reported  division  of  the  tube  into  three  parts 
stated  by  naturalists,  is  corroborated  by  the  longitudinal  line  seen  under 
the  lens.  The  other  large  appendages  shown,  appear  to  be  feet  for  en- 
abling the  bee  to  support  itself  while  sucking  up  the  nectar,  and  also 
for  enabling  it  to  back  out  after  getting  all  it  wants. 

The  sting  is  often  the  dread  of  beginners.     It  is  composed  of  two 
darts  in  one  sheath.     These  darts  when  inserted  into  the  flesh  penetrate 


BKE-SXrSG. 

alternately,  till  the  whole  sting  is  buried.  Each  is  furnished  with  barbs, 
which  retain  it  until  the  poison  escapes.  The  poison  bag  lies  near  the 
Toot  of  the  sting,  and  the  poison  is  ejected  along  the  barbed  darts  into 
the  wound.  "When  stung  remove  the  sting  by  rubbing  it  outward,  and 
not  by  catching  it  between  the  thumb  and  finger,  because  in  this  way  all 
the  poison  is  pressed  from  the  bag  into  the  wound  and  the  effect  is  much 
severer  than  it  otherwise  would  be.  After  extracting  the  sting,  pinch  or 
press  the  wound  and  apply  some  alkali,  as  soda  or  hartshorn. 


80 


QUEEN    CEIiL   A:<D    LABV^. 


In  brood  rearing  remember  that  queens  hatch  in  about  fourteen  day^. 
from  the  egg;  workers  in  about  twenty-one;  and  drones  in  about  twen- 
ty-four days.  Any  worker  egg  may  be  used  by  the  bees  in  rearing  a 
queen.  If  the  egg  is  hatched  before  it  is  used  by  the  bees,  the  queen 
may  emerge  in  less  than  fourteen  days.  The  queen  lays  eggs  very  rapid- 
ly, sometimes  as  many  as  2,000  or  3,000  per  day.  She  bends  her  body, 
in  laying  and  leaves  the  small  white  egg,  sticking  to  the  bottom 
of  the   cell.       In  the   accompanying  figure  at  6  6    eggs    are   shown 


at  the  bottom  of  the  cell,  and  larvae  in  different  stages  at  c  c.  No.  1  re- 
presents a  queen-cell  cut  open,  to  show  its  construction.  It  is  attached 
to  the  comb  at  e.  The  part  removed  is  shown  at  d;  the  queen  larvae  at 
6,  and  the  royal  jelly  at  c.  No.  2.  shows  one  of  the  larv^  taken  from 
its  cell.     And  No.  3.  the  same  just  before  it  begins  to  spin  its  cocoon. 


SURPLUS  HONEY  IN  BOXES  AND  EXTRACTED 


81 


The  queen  lays  the  egg;  after  it  is  hatched  it  is  a  little  worm,  gruh  or 
maggot,  called  a  Larva  for  five  or  six  days.  The  bees  then  cover  «he 
cell  and  the  larvae  spins  around  itself  a  silken  covering  called  a  cocoon. 


THE    OVARIES    OF    THE    QUEEN    BEE. 


After  this  it  is  called  a  mymph,  pupa,  or  chrysalis,  when  the  proper  time 
arrives,  it  comes  forth  from  the  cell,  a  perfect  bee.     The  cocoon  is  left  as 


82  OVABIES   OF   THE   QUEE>5    BEE. 

a  lining  in  the  cell  when  a  bee  hatches.  This  makes  old  combs  much 
stronger  than  new  ones 

Perhaps  the  most  peculiar  and  interesting  part  of  the  Queen  Bee  is  the 
ovaries,  or  egg-bag.  It  consists  of  a  pair  of  organs,  represented  hjFF 
in  the  cut .  Each  is  composed  of  tubes  full  of  eggs,  in  every  stage  of 
growth  which  start  from  near  the  apex  II  and  open  into  one  duct  on 
each  side  as  shown  in  the  cut.  Each  egg  passes  through  a  common 
channel  C  on  its  way  to  the  cell,  passing  by  a  little  sac  I,  called  the 
"  spermatheca,"  from  which  all  eggs  destined  to  become  workers  are 
impregnated  in  passing , 

The  body  and  legs  of  bees  are  covered  with  fine  hairs,  to  which  pollen 


adheres,  which  is  brushed  off  by  the  bee  and  packed  in  baskets  on  their 
hind  legs. 

A  young  queen  seems  incapable  of  fertilization  after  she  is  three  weeks 
old,  and  lays  only  drone  eggs.  She  is  generally  fertilized  at  from  five 
to  twelve  days  of  age;  in  which  act,  this,  sac  lis  filled  with  seminal  fluid 
from  the  drone.  It  is  now  generally  believed  that  the  queen  is  able  to 
fertilize  the  eggs  as  they  pass  the  spermatheca,  at  her  option.  Adjacent 
organs  are  represented  by  the  letters  A  B  D  and  E. 

We  would  recommend  every  beginner  to  transfer  his  bees  at  once  when 


StJBPLUS   HONEY  IN   BOXES   AND   EXTRACTED.  83 

the  fruit  blossoms  appear,  in  to  hives  with  movable  combs,  so  that  he 
may  use  intelligent  judgment  on  the  subject.  (See  transferring.)  This 
operation  seems  at  first  formidable,  but  if  the  bees  are  well  smoked, 
-(see  smoker,)  they  will  soon  fill  themselves  with  honey,  and  be 
almost  as  harmless  as  flies,  unless  mashed.  If  no  smoker  is  at  hand  a 
roll  of  coarse  cotton  cloth  may  be  used  for  the  purpose.  Place  it  well 
lighted  under  the  mouth  of  the  hive,  and  the  bees  will  soon  be  subdued. 
The  peculiar  sound  which  they  set  up  indicates  subjugation.  In  mov- 
able comb  hives,  we  speak  of  the  bwer  box  as  the  hroodnest,  and  the 
upper  one  as  the  cap,  or  upper  chamber. 

As  to  hives,  adopt  some  good  pattern,  and  stick  to  it.  Make  them  so 
exact  that  every  part  of  each  will  fit  with  that  part  of  another.  This  is 
very  important  for  many  advantages  are  gained  in  an  apiary  by  the  in- 
terchange of  frames  and  parts  of  hives.  For  entrances,  we  recommend 
only  one  in  front,  three-eighths  by  three  inches,  which  can  be  supple- 
mented by  auger  holes  above.  These  can  be  stopped  with  corks  for 
winter. 

Every  hive  should  have  at  least  one  closely  fitting  divison  board  in 
order  to  contract  the  space  for  the  colony  according  to  its  strength  and 
the  season. 

Do  not  be  afraid  of^  feeding  bees  when  no  honey  is  gathered  in  the 
fields.  If  done  regularly  and  systematically  it  will  often  repay  one 
himdredfold.     (See  "Feeding,"  page  112). 

Always  aim  to  keep  strong  colonies.  These  are  always  the  best  in 
€very  respect,  except  at  times  when  a  number  of  queens  are  to  be  rear- 
ed. Then  nucleus,  or  small  hives  may  be  used.  (See  "Queen  Rearing. ") 
Strong  stocks  will  be  most  apt  to  rear  bright  Italian  queens,  but  if  the 
weather  is  cold  queens  are  more  apt  to  be  dark  colored.  In  handling 
queens  never  catch  them  by  the  body,  but  by  the  wing.     In  searching 


84:  MAXAGEMKNT   OF   BEES. 

in  the  hive  for  the  queen  she  is  most  apt  to  be  found  on  combs  from 
which  young  bees  are  just  hatching.  It  is  beet  to  open  hives  in  the 
warm  part  of  the  day,  both  because  then  the  propolis  is  soft  and  the 
combs  are  not  necessarily  jarred  in  removing  them,  and  because  then 
most  of  the  old  bees  are  absent  in  the  fields. 

In  opening  a  hive  blow  smoke  into  the  entrance  for  a  few  moments, 
until  the  subdued  hum  is  distinctly  heard,  and  as  the  quilt  is  lifted  from 
one  corner,  follow  it  up  with  smoke.  Stand  on  the  side  towards  which 
the  wind  is  blowing,  least  your  breath  madden  the  bees.  Kemember 
that  the  human  breath  is  very  offensive  to  them,  and  do  not  breathe 
directly  on  them,  or  you  may  suffer  thereby. 

We  recommend  beginners  always  to  use  a  bee  veil  to  to  protect  the 
face,  and  if  fearful,  also  at  first,  rubber  gloTes  or  coarse  yam  ones. 
Gloves  of  buckskin,  leather,  and  kid  have  proved  of  little  value,  as  bees 
easily  sting  through  them.  It  is  well  to  have  an  extra  veil  or  two  on 
hand  for  use  by  a  visiting  friend.  As  one  becomes  accustomed  to  the 
work  he  can  by  degrees  leave  these  off  as  he  finds  himself  able.  But  we 
would  caution  against  entering  hives  carelessly,  because  they  have  been 
very  gentle.  Sometimes  \^  hen  the  honey  ceases  to  flow,  a  colony  here- 
tofore the  most  peaceable,  will  sting  severely  if  opened  without  proper 
precaution. 

Let  no  patent  man  beguile  you  into  using  moth  traps.  Strong  colon- 
ies are  the  best  preventives  against  their  depredations.  The  presence 
of  an  unfertile  or  drone-laying  queen,  or  a  fertile  worker  may  be  suspect- 
ed by  eggs  irregularly  laid  or  found  dropped  about,  outside  the  cells. 

When  bKbney  is  scarce  in  the  fields,  be  careful  to  leave  no  sweets  expos- 
ed, and  if  robbing  commences,  be  quick  to  stop  it,  before  great  mischiel 
is  done.     (See  "Robbing,"  page  101). 

A  word  of  caution  is  always  necessary  to  the  beginner,  least  he  overdo 


SUBPLUS  HONEY  IN  BOXES  AND  EXTBACTED.  85 

the  matter  of  increasing  his  stocks.  Remember  the  bee-keeper  is  rich, 
not  according  to  the  num^ber,  but  according  to  the  strength  of  his  colon- 
ies during  the  honey  season.  Never  attempt  to  do  more  than  double 
your  bees  if  honey  is  desired,  and  unless  the  season  is  specially  good  do 
not  make  more  than  one  new  swarm  from  two  colonies. 

If  an  Italian  queen  is  reared  for  introduction,  and  you  wish  to  catch 
her  for  any  purpose,  let  her  fly  upon  the  window,  when  she  can  be 
readily  caught  by  the  wing.  Decide  on  the  manner  of  introducing  her 
to  the  colony  tobeused,(See  "Introducing  Queens,'' p.  110)  and  do  it  as 
gently  as  possible.  Eelease  the  queen  when  the  hive  is  as  quiet  as 
possible : 

Beginners  sometimes  think  that  it  is  too  expensive  to  paint  hives. 
This  is  a  mistake .  One  cannot  afford  nof  to  paint  them,  because  they 
will  soon  injure  in  exposure  to  the  weather  by  splitting,  swelling,  or 
warping,  so  as  to  fit  badly,  and  cause  much  greater  loss  than  the  cost  of 
painting.  We  prefer  three  good  coats,  all  white  or  clouded,  though  the 
paints  should  be  of  different  colors,  to  be  distinguished  by  the  bees. 
Dark  colored  hives  become  much  hotter  in  summer  by  absorbing  the 
rays  of  the  sun,  and  the  new  comb  is  much  more  liable  to  melt  down 
than  in  white  hives. 

Less  expense  attends  providing  proper  hives  for  bees,  according  to  the 
income  derived  from  them,  than  any  stock  about  the  farm.  Stables,  barns, 
sheds,  daries,  cow-houses,  &c .,  are  necessary  for  stock,  which  do  not 
yield  proportionally  better  returns  than  bees,  in  the  management  of 
which,  even  on  a  large  scale,  all  that  is  necessary,  are  hives— which  are 
of  permanent  value — a  wax  extractor,  and  a  honey  extractor.  Yearly 
there  will  be  need  for  comb-foundation,  frames,  boxes,  and  crates,  or 
jars.    But  these  last  cost  no  more  than  what  is  oftentimes  necessary  for 


86  MANAGEMENT   OF  BEES. 

properly  marketing  some  other  things.     Besides  this,  a  good  honey 
house  is  necessary,  if  there  is  no  building  at  hand  to  be  used  for  such. 

Perhaps  a  more  specific  description  of  these  later  improvements,  and 
the  advantages  of  their  use,  may  be  of  value  to  beginners;  Brood 
comb  seems  to  be  the  foundation  of  development  in  a  hive .  Its  presence 
is  necessary  to  a  proper  conduct  of  the  business  of  the  hive.  If  not 
present,  bees  must  make  it  before  rapid  normal  development  in  the  hive 
is  possible .  Honey-comb  is  made  entirely  of  pure  wax .  This  is  a  secre- 
tion from  the  body  of  the  bee,  [see  page  47] .  In  order  to  build  this 
comb,  they  must  consume  some  fifteen  or  twenty  times  its  weight  in 
honey,  besides  the  time  necessary  for  the  wax  secretion.  The  im- 
portance of  giving  to  bees,  combs  ready  made,  has  long  been  known. 
They  will  unite  and  use  any  scraps  of  comb  which  may  be  preserved 
and  fastened  temporarily  into  frames.  Nice  pieces  of  drone  comb  may 
advantageously  be  used  in  honey  boxes.  But  the  difficulty  of  getting; 
a  supply  of  natural  comb,  led  to  various  experiments  in  order  to  supply, 
artificially  this  deficiency.  During  the  last  year  these  sheets  of  artificial 
comb-foundation  were  largely  used,  and  firmly  established  as  of  very 
great  utility  in  the  apiary. 

Until  recently,  attempts  at  making  artificial  comb,  both  in  Germany 
and  England,  were  from  the  use  of  pktes^  which  were  necessarily  slow. 
But  more  recently,  machines  have  been  made  by  which  continuous 
sheets  of  wax,  of  proper  thickness,  are,  on  passing  between  its  engrav- 
ed rollers,  impressed  on  both  sides  with  the  exact  bottoms  of  cells  as- 
made  by  the  bees,  and  between  each,  a  shoulder  of  wax  is  left  which  the 
bees  quickly  lengthen  into  side  walls.  The  demand  for  this  article, 
says  one  of  the  largest  manufacturers  of  it,  "  Is  increasing  so  steadily, 
that  it  is  quite  probable  the  supply  of  wax  will  be  the  only  limit  to  its- 
manufacture  and  use." 


SURPLUS  HONEY  IN  BOXES  AND  EXTRACTED 


87 


It  is  important  that  2:>ure  wax  should  be  used,  for  all  substitutes  pro- 
posed for  it  have  heretofore  failed. 

The  wax  sheets  are  made  by  dipping  a  sheet  of  galvanized  iron  into  a 
vessel  of  melted  wax.  By  dipping  two  or  three  times,  according  to  the 
temperature  of  the  heated  wax,  the  sheets  will  be  of  sufficient  thickness- 
The  wax  is  scaled  from  the  sheets  and  when  well  cooled,  rolled 
through  the  foundation  machine.  Soap  suds  rubbed  upon  the 
rolls  will  prevent  the  sheets  from  sticking,  but  as  bees  seem  sometimes 
to  object  to  it,  water  into  which  a  little  bark,  called  soap  hark  is  put, 
is  now  generally  used,  and  seems  to  answer  as  well.  We  are,  by  the 
advice  of  A.  I.  Root,  now  using,  with  great  satisfaction,  common  starch, 
prepared  as  for  starching  clothes.  The  roller  should  be  well  wet  with  it 
before  use,  and  when  necessary. 

These  sheets  are  readily  cut  up  into  smaller  pieces  of  any  desired 
dimensions.  Perhaps  the  best  way  to  cut  them,  where  many  are  used,  is 
with  a  cutter  made  from  a  round  piece  of  tin,  filed  sharp  on  the  circum- 
ference and  fixed  to  run  as  a  wheel  on  a  pivot  through  the  centre,  which 
fastens  it  to  the  handle.  This  can  be  run  rapidly  along  any  guide  to 
mark  the  size  required. 

HOW   TO   FASTEN   COMB-FOUNDATION   IN   FRAMES. 

This  is  done  in  different  ways.  It  is  important  that  it  he  fastened  firm- 
ly all  along  the  top  bar,  in  order  to  prevent  sagging.  Some  use  melted 
wax  or  white  glue,  but  they  are  troublesome,  and  when  used  in 
honey  boxes  are  apt  to  leave  a  lump  of  the  substance  on  the  bar,  which 
is  decidedlj^  objectionable. 

We  recommend  fastening  them  by  placing  the  frames  bottom  upwards 
on  a  table,  and  laying  the  sheet  on  the  top  bar  so  that  the  edge  comes 
nearly  across  it'    Now,  take  a  screw  driver  or  piece  of  smooth  firm  iroii 


Ho  COMB-FOUNDATION    IN    FBAMES. 

and  rub  it  down  hard  to  the  wood  until  it  adheres  all  along.  One  corner 
of  the  iron  should  go  entirely  to  the  wood  at  the  finishing  stroke.  On  this 
tack  a  small  thin  strip  of  wood  into  the  top  bar,  so  placed  that  when 
the  sheet  is  bent  up  against  it,  it  hangs  in  the  centre  of  the  frame.  If 
,the  frames  have  comb  guides,  the  comb  is  fastened  to  in  it  the  same 
manner,  but  there  is  not  always  need  for  the  extra  strip  to  be  tacked  on. 
When  frames  are  filled  with  foundation,  they  should  be  hung  in  an 
empty  hive  or  similar  box  so  as  to  be  preserved  from  injury  until  need- 
ed. The  best  way  we  have  seen  for  fastening  comb  into  the  small  honey 
boxes  or  sections,  is  to  make  a  small  groove  or  saw  cut  in  the  centre  of 
the  upper  bar  and  fasten  it  in  by  bending  it  open  or  by  sticking  it  in 
whilst  warm  with  wax  or  glue. 

There  are  many  advantages  gained  by  the  use  of  comb-foundation, 
some  of  which  we  will  enumerate : 

First.  In  transferring  bees  if  every  other  frame  be  filled  with  it  they 
Trill  all  be  filled  with  straight  combs. 

Second.  When  bees  are  inclined  to  build  too  much  drone  comb,  the 
hive  is  easily  filled  with  worker  comb  by  its  use. 

Third.  In  early  Spring  it  is  very  valuable  to  insert  in  the  broodnest, 
to  ^'timulate  breeding,  and  assist  in  rapidily  building  up  the  colony  or 
in  forming  new  ones,  which  otherwise  would  be  checked  from  the  lack  of 
comb. 

Foi:.Tth.  To  insert  in  a  choice  hive  to  secure  eggs  for  queen  rear- 
ing, oil  a  new  soft  comb  on  which  bees  are  most  apt  to  build  good 
queen-cells. 

Fifth  To  have  on  hand  in  extracting,  to  insert  in  one  or  two  of  the 
first  hives  opened,  in  order  to  get  a  supply  of  combs  ahead,  so  as 
not  to   open  a  hive  but  once. 


SURPLUS  HONEY  IN  BOXES  A.ND  EXTBACTED.  S3 

Sixth.  To  insert  when  full  combs  of  dark  honey  are  set  away  for 
-wintering. 

Seventh.  To  prevent  too  much  drone  rearing. 

Eighth.  To  give  the  queen  extra  room  at  any  time  in  manipulating  a 
hive  when  it  is  not  just  convenient  to  extract  at  the  time. 

Ninth.  To  secure  continuous  breeding  by  feeding,  at  times  when 
combs  are  scarce  or  when  bees  are  loth  to  build. 

Tenth.  To  gather  full  supplies  of  fall  honey  at  a  time  when  bees  are 
not  inclined  to  to  build  comb. 

Eleventh.  To  insure  at  any  time  straight  comb,  for  easy  management. 

Twelfth.  To  stimulate  bees  to  work  quickly  in  boxes.  It  is  doubtful 
-whether  it  is  advisable  to  use  much  of  it  in  the  boxes;  though  practiced 
largely  by  some,  yet  a  small  strip  does  induce  them  to  work  more  quick- 
ly in  the  boxes. 

It  is  extremely  important  that  only  pure  hees-wax  be  used,  and  especi- 
ally is  this  the  case  if  any  is  to  be  used  as  the  foundation  of  box  honey 
for  the  table. 

This  shows  the  importance  of  using  the  Wax  Extractor,  spoken  of  on 
page  53,  by  which  alone  pure  wax  can  be  obtained.  This  wax  should 
be  carefully  saved  by  every  apiarian  in  a  shape  suitable  to  be  made  into 
comb  foundation,  as  above  described.  Those  who  have  the  machines 
advertise  to  give  one  pound  of  foundation  for  two  of  pure  wax.  This 
exchange  is  far  better  for  small  apiarians,  than  for  them  to  attempt  to 
make  it  for  themselves.  We  advise  all  to  avail  themselves  of  the  great 
advantages  of  comb-foundation,  and  also  of  the  honey  extractor. 

As  many  beginners  do  not  understand  the  principle  on  which  the 
extractor  works,  nor  the  advantages  gained  by  its  use,  we  will  here 
more  minutely  describe  its  mechanism,  mode  of  use,  and  advantages 
gained  by  it. 


93  THE   HONEY  EXTEACTOB. 

It  is  sometimes  called  the  honey  slinger,  because  when  operated  the 
honey  is  thrown  or  slung  from  the  cells  by  centrifugal  force,  and  drawn 
off  at  the  bottom  into  a  receiving  vessel.  There  are  various  kinds  of 
good  extractors  in  the  market,  some  one  of  which  every  apiarian  should 
have.  They  all  act  on  the  centrifugal  princple,  and  consist  of  a  can  to 
catch  the  honey,  and  a  revolving  wire  cloth  basket  within,  which 
receives  the  comb  and  turns  with  it.  This  should  be  run  with  a  gearing 
above.  A  temporary  one  might  be  made  with  ingenuity,  from  a  large 
barrel,  after  painting  it  well  with  wax,  but  good  tin  ones  are  now  so 
cheap  that  it  is  best  and  cheapest  in  the  end,  to  buy  one  of  these.  The 
can  should  have  a  faucet  near  the  bottom  for  drawing  off  the  honey. 

The  size  of  the  frame  used,  regulates  both  the  size  of  basket  and  the 
can.  The  basket  should  be  of  light  material  built  on  a  shaft  which 
turns  in  a  nut  at  the  bottom,  by  means  of  a  single  gearing  at  the  top 
Two  opposite  sides  of  the  basket  should  be  made  of  tinned  wire  cloth^ 
supported  by  strips  of  tin  and  a  little  larger  than  the  frames  to  be 
u^ed.  The  wire  cloth  against  which  the  combs  lie  in  extracting,  should 
ba  tinned,  and  not  merely  galvanized,  for  the  acids  in  honey  will  cor- 
rode the  galvanized  iron  and  poison  it  to  some  extent.  It  should  have 
from  three  and  a  half  to  five  meshes  to  the  inch.  The  basket  should  be 
two  or  three  inches  from  the  bottom  to  give  some  space  for  honey  below 
and  as  much  above  to  prevent  it  from  spraying  over  the  top.  The 
cylinder  is  made  of  good  tin,  with  heavy  wire  in  the  top  to  strengthen 
it.  The  bottom  is  made  of  a  round  piece  of  tin,  a  little  larger  than  the 
space  to  be  filled  by  it.  From  one  side  cut  out  a  trangular  section  tO' 
the  centre  or  a  little  beyond,  and  in  its  place  sodder  a  similar  piece  a 
little  larger,  and  previously  bent  in  to  the  shape  of  a  trough.  The 
bottom,  thus  fixed  will  permit  all  the  honey  to  run  towards  the  centre 
and  then  down  the  trough  through  the  faucet.     There  is  fastened  on  and 


SURPLUS  HONEY  IN  BOXES  AND  EXTRACTED.  9i 

over  this,  a  tin  hoop,  four  or  five  inches  wide,  made  stiff  with  wire  on 
the  bottom  edge,  soldered  on  for  it  to  rest  upon.  No  covering  is. 
needed  when  in  use,  but  to  keep  out  insects,  at  other  times,  any  kind  of 
a  simple  covering  will  answer,  though  perhaps  none  is  more  convenient 
than  a  circular  piece  of  cloth  of  proper  size  with  a  rubber  cord  in  the 
hem.  When  honey  is  gathered  plentifully,  any  convenient  shady  place 
answers  well  for  extracting,  but  if  scarce,  the  combs  must  be  carried 
into  some  house  out  of  the  way  of  the  bees.  Sometimes  it  is  more  con- 
venient to  use  for  this  purpose,  a  movable  tent,  covered  with  cotton  cloth. 
If  so,  it  is  easily  made  from  scantling  for  the  bottom,  and  poles  which 
support  the  cloth  fastened  in  auger  holes.  They  are  easily  lifted  from 
the  holes  and  folded  away  when  desirable. 

A  little  experience  will  teach  one,  how  fast  and  long  to  turn,  to  extract, 
the  honey.  Open  the  hive  gently,  after  smoking  the  bees  for  a  moment. 
Shake  the  bees  directly  on  the  top  of  the  frames  or  on  a  board  in  front. 
In  the  first  method  there  is  less  danger  of  losing  the  queen  or  of  induc- 
ing robbing.  Brush  the  bees  off  with  a  tuft  of  broomcorn  or  a  green 
twig.  A  feather  is  not  so  good;  it  seems  to  irritate  the  bees.  Place  the 
comb  gently  in  the  extractor,  and  turn  very  gently  if  the  comb  is  new 
or  the  frame  not  filled.  If  very  heavy  with  honey  do  not  aim  to  get  it 
all  from  the  first  side,  until  it  has  been  turned,  because  heavy  new  comb 
is  injured  by  the  wires  mashing  into  it,  when  the  velocity  is  great. 

ADVANTAGES  OF  THE  EXTRACTOR. 

We  caution  against  a  too  free  use  of  the  extractor,  unless  prepared  to- 
feed  if  necessary,  should  a  honey  drought  come  when  stores  are  thus 
too  much  reduced,  or  if  done  too  late  in  the  fall. 

Judiciously  used,  the  extractor  is  of  great  advantage  in  the  following, 
points,  as  given  by  Kev.  J.  W.  Shearer  in  The  Bee-Keepers'  Magazine,, 
Vol.  v.,  No.  6,  page  115: 


92  iDVANTAGES  OF  THE  EXTBACTOE. 

"First.  In  a  good  honey  harvest,  the  cells  of  hatching  brood  are 
afterwards  filled  with  honey,  so  that  the  queen  has  little  room  to  rear 
brood.  When  this  is  the  case,  the  bees  will  decrease  very  rapidly,  and 
are  sometimes  lost.  Extracting  the  honey  gives  the  queen  room,  stimu- 
lates the  workers,  strengthens  the  swarm,  and  helps  to  keap  it  in  good 
condition  to  take  advantage  of  the  next  honey  harvest. 

"  Second.  Bees  will  often  lay  up  honey  rapidly  in  combs  furnished 
by  extracting,  when  they  will  not  make  new  combs. 

' '  Third.  This  is  true,  especially  in  the  fall  harvest,  when  instinct 
prompts  them  to  store  honey  rapidly,  when  there  is  but  little  in  the 
hive.  Seldom  is  more  rapid  work  seen  than  in  a  spring  colonly  closely 
extracted  in  the  fall.  Each  bee  seems  to  be  racing  with  his  neighbor. 
Instinct  prompts  to  build  but  little  comb  in  the  fall,  and  it  is  often  too 
cool  for  box  building  some  time  before  they  cease  to  lay  up  in  the  hive. 
Hence,  much  less  fall  honey  is  obtained,  when  box  honey  alone  is  relied 
on.  The  full  benefit  of  fall  extracting,  is  gotten  only  whtn  the  apiarian 
has  experience  and  expertness  in  rapidly  supplying  syrup  for  winter- 
ing. Without  this,  a  fear  of  losing  the  bees  should  check  a  too  free  use 
of  the  extractor. 

*  'Fourth.  When  the  extractor  is  mainly  relied  on,  after  a  hive  has 
been  swarmed,  it  may  be  doubled  in  this  way:  giving  a  great  deal  of 
comb  and  a  quantity  of  bees.  Swarm  a  stand  by  the  exchange  method, 
and  instead  of  placing  the  old  stock  containing  the  young  workers  and 
brood  on  a  new  stand,  place  them  in  the  second  story  of  this  stock. 
Thus  a  double  set  of  comb  is  given,  the  hive,  full  of  comb,  is  soon 
full  of  bees  by  the  hatching  above  and  below;  has  a  fertile  queen  below, 
"which  is  necessarily  prolific,  whilst  much  honey  is  stored  above  for 
extracting. 

' '  By  this  method,  instead  of  increasing  by  swarming  in  the  summer. 


STJBPIiUS    HONEY    IN    BOXES    AND    EXTBACTED.  93. 

strong  colonies  have  the  swarming  propensity  gratified,  and  are  kept  &t 
work.  By  raising  queens  in  August  and  setting  away  full  combs,  they 
are  easily  separated  into  good  strong  colonies  for  winter.  Extracted 
honey  may  be  put  directly  into  barrels  or  cans.  In  this  case  it  is  much 
more  apt  to  candy.  After  ripening  or  evaporating  for  a  few  days  it  is 
less  liable  to  candy.  It  is  a  great  trouble  thus  to  preserve  it,  since  all 
insects  will  drop  into  it  and  get  drowned.  The  best  mode  of  taking  care 
of  extracted  honey  is  to  put  it  directly  into  fnait  cans,  and  seal  up  when 
almost  at  the  boiling  point.  Thus  the  air  is  driven  out  and  it  seldom 
candies.  It  may  be  heated  in  large  quantities  and  at  once  put  up  secure- 
ly, so  that  there  is  no  loss  from  leakage,  or  a  second  handling,  or  any 
fear  of  impurities  from  insects  or  dust.  It  is  then  ready  for  market. 
The  cans  are  useful  in  every  household  when  the  honey  is  used  up,  and 
the  consumer  does  not  feel  that  he  is  paying  for  useless  bottles." 

The  valu«  of  these  great  improvements  in  apiculture  are  so  well 
acknowledged,  that  it  is  hardly  necessary  to  add  any  testimonials.  Lead- 
ing apiarians  everywhere  agree  concerning  the  advantages  of  the  extrac- 
tor, and  of  comb-foundation  for  the  broodnest .  Some  yet  argue  against 
its  use  in  boxes,  on  the  ground  of  impurities  in  the  wax,  which  may  en- 
danger the  price  of  box  honey.  The  Bellows  Smoker  is  one  of  these 
simple  conveniences,  concerning  which  the  testimony  constantly  receiv- 
edis:  "I  could  not  do  without  it."  "Iwouldnot  take  $50  or  $100 
for  mine,  if  it  could  not  be  replaced."  "It  is  more  than  is  claimed  for- 
it,"  etc.  Every  beginner  should  furnish  himself  with  a  veil,  a  bellows 
smoker,  and — even  though  not  over  two  hives  are  kept— an  extractor 
will  pay  the  first  year. 

GOLDEN  RULES. 

First.  — Keep  all  colonies  strong.  This  is  the  best  protection  against 
moths  and  robbers;  the  surest  way  to  secure  an  abundance  of  surplus 
honey,  and  such  colonies,  with  sufficient  stores,  are  wintered  most  safely. 

Second. — In  handling  bees,  be  gentle.  Subdue  them,  if  necessary, 
with  smoke,  which  causes  them  to  fill  themselves  with  honey.  "A  bee 
filled  with  liquid  sweets,  will  not  volunteer  an  attack."  If  stung,  scrape 
off  the  sting  at  once. 

Third.  — Have  the  hive  carefully  protected  from  the  severe  and  sud- 
den changes  in  spring. 


94      HOW  TO  KEMOVE  HONEY  BOXES  AND  EXPEL  IHE  BEES. 

FouETH. — Eives — Let  all  hives  and  parts  of  hives  be  interchangeable 

Fifth. — Swarming — Have  queen-cells  or  young  queens  ready  before 
dividing.     These  are  most  conveniently  raised  with  regular  sized  frames. 

Sixth. — Inserting  Queens — Let  the  colony  be  conscious  of  its  loss, 
destroy  all  queen-cells,  let  the  same  scent  be  given,  and  the  bees  be  as 
quiet  as  possible  when  the  operation  is  performed. 

Seventh. — Secure  and  pack  honey  in  attractive  packages,  easily 
handled. 

Eighth. — Judicious  feeding,  cystematically  followed  in  times  of 
drought,  pays  well. 

HOW  TO  BEMOVE  honey.  BOXES  AND  EXPEL  THE  BEES. 

Near  sunset  remove  the  cap  and  raise  the  end  of  the  box  just  enough 
to  blow  under  a  little  smoke,  when  the  bees  will  leave  the  holes,  which 
may  be  covered  with  blocks  or  an  empty  box  turned  bottom  up.  Set 
the  full  boxes  right  side  up  on  strips  upon  the  stand,  so  that  they  shall 
be  three  eights  of  an  inch  from  the  board  and  five  or  six  inches  frcm 
the  entrance  of  the  hive.  Gently  rap  upon  the  boxes  until  the  bees 
begin  in  good  earnest  to  leave  for  the  hive.  Being  filled  with  honey 
there  is  no  danger  of  their  stinging  from  the  rough  treatment  received. 
The  huming  of  those  that  enter  will  give  notice  to  the  others  of  their 
position  near  their  home.  Should  some  remain  in  the  boxes  they  may 
be  left  till  morning  if  the  weather  be  pleasant,  but  must  be  removed 
€arly,  least  the  bees  commence  carrying  the  honey  into  the  hive.  If 
preferred  the  boxes  may  be  placed  upon  theirjsides  in  a  tight  box  or  bar- 
rel, and  a  thin  cloth  thrown  over  the  top.  Seeing  the  light  the  bees 
will  creep  up  on  the  cloth,  and  if  this  be  turned  over  occasionally  all 
except  a  few  young  ones  will  find  their  way  back  to  the  hive.  Late  in 
the  season,  when  the  nights  are  cool,  if  this  cap  be  raised  in  the  eve- 
ning, the  boxes  will  usually  be  clear  of  bees  by  morning.  As  soon  as 
the  flowers  have  failed  or  the  bees  commence  carrying  down  honey  from 
the  unsealed  cells,  all  boxes  should  be  removed,  unless,  as  is  sometimes 
the  case,  when  the  latter  part  of  the  season  has  been  unfavorable,  an 
insufficient  supply  has  been  stored  in  the  body  of  the  hive.  In  this 
case  if  not  left,  the  bees  should  be  fed.     (See  "Feeding,"  page  148.) 


CHAPTER    V. 


ARTIFICIAL    SWARMING. 


That  bees  may  be  swarmed  artificially,  although  not  lyiowr 
to  all  even  at  the  present  day,  is  not  a  late  discovery,  but  has 
been  practiced  for  over  a  century,  with  more  or  less  success, 
depending  entirely  upon  the  observance  of  the  three  following 
conditions,  to  wit:  the  proper  time  for  swarming;  the  condition 
of  the  stock;  and  whether  the  method  employed  was  in  harmony 
with  or  in  violation  of  the  laws  which  govern  the  economy  of 
the  hive. 

1st.  The  time  for  swarming  is  not  until  the  yield  of  honey  is 
abundant  and  drones  are  numerous  in  the  apiary,  nor  should  it 
be  performed  so  late  in  the  season  that  the  bees  will  not  have 
time  to  become  strong  in  numbers  and  rich  in  stores  before  the 
frosts  of  autumn  cut  short  the  pasturage.  The  safest  rule,  foi 
the  inexperienced,  is  to  wait  until  natural  swarms  begin  to  issue, 
unless  he  can  have  a  finished  queen-cell  to  give  the  queenless 
part,  or,  what  is  much  better,  a  fertile  queen,  in  which  case  he 
may  swarm  somewhat  earher  or  later  than  the  usual  time  for 
natural  swarms. 

2d.  The  stock  to  be  swarmed  should  be  very  populous,  for  if 
swarmed  when  too  weak,  it  is  thus  robbed  of  its  power  to 
generate    heat    for  breeding,    and  should   unfavorable   weather 


96  ABl'IFICIAL    SWARMING. 

ensue  both  parts  will  often  be  deficient  in  numbers  and  stores  for 
winter;  whereas,  had  the  stock  been  left  until  it  could  have- 
spared  a  swarm,  both  would  be  prepared  for  winter,  beside- 
yielding  ample  returns  in  surplus  honey  as  the  reward  of  proper 
management.  There  will  sometimes  be  a  season  when  these 
conditions  will  not  occur  in  all  the  stocks  in  the  apiary.  Such 
stocks  should  not  be  swarmed  that  season.  The  only  safeguard 
against  poor  seasons  is  strong  stocks,  for  they  will  work  whiles 
others  are  idle. 

3d.  The  value  of  any  method  depends,  m  a  great  measure- 
upon  the  certainty  of,  and  the  time  required  for,  supplying  the 
queenless  part  with  a  fertile  queen.  Yet,  the  method  any  one 
should  adopt,  or  whether  he  should  allow  his  bees  to  swarm  once 
naturally,  will  depend  much  upon  his  desire  for  increase  of  stocks, 
and  the  number  of  colonies  or  apiaries  he  may  wish  to  manage. 
Hence,  we  shall  describe  several  methods,  contrasting  their 
advantages  and  disadvantages  with  natural  swarming.  The 
practice  of  multiplying  colonies  by  artificial  means,  has  the  foU 
lowing  advantages  over  natural  swarming: 

1st.  The  trouble  and  risk  of  swarms  issuing  when  the  bee- 
keeper is  absent,  or  several  issuing  about  the  same  time  and 
clustering  together  or  leaving  for  the  woods,  is  avoided. 

2d.  As  soon  as  the  stocks  are  in  proper  condition  they  may 
all  be  swarmed  when  most  convenient  and  you  are  certain  of  the 
bcrease;  but  in  natural  swarming,  only  a  few  days  of  bad 
weather  will  frequently  cause  the  queen  cells  to  be  destroyed  and 
swarming  to  be  postponed  for  weeks  and  often  till  the  next 
season. 


SWARMING    IN    MOVABLE-COMB    HIVES.  97 

HOW    TO    MAKE    SWARMS    BY        DIVIDING.'' 

We  will  give  the  principal  methods  for  swarming  bees  iii  th« 
movable-comb  hive,  any  one  of  which  may  be  used  according  to 
circumstances  or  the  choice  of  the  bee-keeper.  The  following 
process  is  the  most  convenient  when  making  swarms  away  from 
home.  Spread  a  sheet  upon  the  ground,  and  after  blowing  a 
httle  smoke  into  the  entrance  of  the  hive  raise  it  carefully  and 
place  it  upon  the  sheet.  If  it  is  taken  any  distance  from  the  old 
stand,  an  empty  hive  should  be  left,  to  hold  the  returning  bees. 
Also  place  upon  the  edge  of  the  sheet  your  new  hive,  with  the 
cap  and  frames  removed,  entrance  closed  and  movable  side  in. 
Proceed  to  open  the  old  hive ;  meanwhile  quieting  the  bees  with 
your  smoke.  Separate  the  young  bees  from  the  old  ones  by 
shaking  them  from  the  combs  upon  the  sheet  three  feet  or  more- 
m  front  of  the  hive.  When  shaking  a  comb,  hold  it  perpendic- 
ular, to  prevent  breaking,  and  dislodge  the  bees  with  a  down- 
ward shake.  If  the  weather  be  warm  and  the  combs  new  and 
tender,  instead  of  shaking  them  brush  oflf  the  bees  with  a  wing 
or  quilL  Keep  a  sharp  watch  for  the  queen  by  nmning  the  eye 
over  each  comb,  both  before  and  after  shaking  it. 

Do  not  spend  much  time,  however,  in  looking  for  the  queen, 
except  to  be  careful  not  to  put  her  into  the  hive  which  is  to 
contain  most  of  the  combs.  As  fast  as  the  combs  are  shaken, 
set  them  into  the  new  hive.  If  the  queen  be  found,  place  the 
comb  upon  which  she  rests  and  another  comb  containing  honey 
in  one  of  the  hives  with  one-fourth  of  the  bees,  and  give  the 
balance  of  tiie  combs  and  three-fourths  of  the  bees  to  the  othei 


98  ARTIFICIAL    SWARMING. 

hive.  Fill  the  vacancies  in  both  hives  with  the  empty  frames, 
and  place  the  one  with  the  queen  and  two  combs  upon  the  old 
stand,  as  enough  bees  will  return  to  it  from  the  one  on  the  new 
stand  to  make  the  colonies  about  equal.  But  if  the  queen  is  not 
found  while  shaking  off  the  bees,  place  the  two  combs  (cne  ol 
them  containing  eggs  and  young  larvae)  in  the  old  hive  and  put 
in  the  empty  frames.  By  this  time  most  of  the  old  bees  will 
probably  have  entered.  When  there  are  but  three  or  four 
quarts  left  upon  the  sheet,  place  the  old  hive  upon  its  own  stand 
and  let  the  young  bees  enter  the  new  hive  by  making  them 
travel,  thinly,  a  considerable  distance  over  the  sheet,  that  you 
may  find  the  queen,  should  she  happen  to  be  among  them,  and 
return  her  to  the  old  hive.  Contract  the  entrance  of  the  new 
hive,  which  may  now  be  placed  in  any  desired  location. 

Another  way  of  making  new  swarms  where  there  are  several 
stocks  in  movable-comb  hives,  is  to  select  four  stocks  and  take 
two  combs  from  each.  Brush  back  aU  the  bees  into  their  own 
hives,  that  no  stock  be  robbed  of  its  queen.  Fill  the  vacancies 
in  each  hive  with  empty  frames,  placing  them  near  the  centre, 
where  they  will  be  quickly  filled.  Place  the  removed  combs 
together  in  an  empty  hive.  Remove  a  strong  stock  (in  any  kind 
of  hive)  when  the  feces  are  flj'ing  briskly,  and  place  the  hive 
containing  the  combs  on  its  stand.  If  the  strong  stock  were 
taken  a  rod  or  two  away,  near  the  middle  of  the  day  in  good 
honey  gathering  weather,  enough  bees  will  return  to  the  old 
Bi^na  CO  make  the  swarm.  Contract  the  entrance  to  both  hives 
for  a  day  or  two.  This  method  has  some  advantages,  for  as  each 
old  stock  loses  but  one  or  two  combs  at  a  time,  a  new  swarm 


SWARMING    IN    MOVABLE-COMB    HIVEB.  99 

can  be  made  from  every  five  stocks  as  often  as  the  loss  is 
regained,  and  yet  all  the  stocks,  Loth  old  and  new,  be  in  condi- 
tion for  winter,  should  swarming  be  continued  past  the  usual 
season.  Whenever  the  weather  becomes  unfavorable,  or  pas- 
turage seems  to  be  failing,  swarming  should  be  discontinued  till 
honey  is  again  plenty. 

Another  method,  is  to  take  out  half  the  combs  with  the  bees 
adhering  to  them,  and  place  them  in  the  new  hive ;  put  in  the 
empty  frames,  and  set  the  hives  a  foot  or  two  apart,  one  on  the 
right  and  the  other  on  the  left  of  the  old  stand.  They  must  be 
watched  an  hour  or  two,  to  keep  the  bees  about  equal.  If  one 
hive  seems  to  be  getting  more  than  its  share,  move  that  a  little 
farther  from,  or  the  other  nearer  to,  the  old  stand.  A  board  set 
up  between  them  and  projecting  a  little  in  front  will  help  divide 
the  returning  bees.  If  the  hives  are  not  the  same  color,  the  old 
one  must  be  partially  covered  with  a  cloth,  to  change  its  appear- 
ance, else  it  will  get  most  of  the  bees.  If  the  queenless  part  be 
not  determined  by  the  motion  of  the  bees,  it  may  be  known  in 
two  or  three  days  by  its  having  started  queen-cells. 

If  a  fertile  queen  is  not  at  hand  for  the  queenless  part,  prevent 
the  construction  of  much  drone  comb  by  giving  it  all  but  one  or 
two  of  the  combs.  In  taking  them  from  the  other  hive,  brush 
back  all  the  bees,  lest  the  queen  be  removed.  If  more  stocks  be 
divided  in  eight  or  ten  days,  a  quecii-cell  for  each  queenless  part 
may  be  obtained  from  this  stock. 

The  queenless  part  of  a  divided  stock  should  have  the  date  of 
its  division  marked  upon  the  hive  or  otherwise  noted,  for  if  a 
^lueen-cell  was  not  inserted  at  the  time  of  dividing,  it  wiU  have 


100  ARTIFICIAL    SWARMING. 

its  queeii-cells  finished  by  the  tenth  or  eleventh  day,  when  al] 
but  one  snould  be  destroyed  or  used  for  dividing  other  stocks. 
If  this  is  not  atTfended  to,  a  colony  will  often  injure  itself  by 
swarming,  although  it  may  have  but  two  or  three  quarts  of  bees. 
All  colonies  raising  queena  should  be  carefully  examined  in 
about  twenty-five  days  from  the  time  of  dividing,  or  if  finished 
queen-cells  were  given  them,  in  fifteen  days,  to  see  that  they 
have  a  fertile  queen,  and  if  no  eggs  can  be  found  in  the  combs 
the  presumption  is  that  some  accident  has  happened  the  queen. 
If  a  nucleus,  containing  a  fertile  queen  is  at  hand,  introduce  her. 
If  neither  queen  nor  queen-cell  can  be  had,  give  the  colony  a 
comb  of  brood  and  eggs  taken  from  a  hive  that  has  a  fertile 
queen.  This  will  not  only  enable  them  to  rear  a  queen,  but  the 
maturing  brood  will  materially  strengthen  the  swarm.  When 
dividing,  care  must  be  taken  in  aU  cases  to  place  the  combs 
containing  brood  or  eggs,  compactly  together,  that  the  bees  may 
be  able  to  cover  them  and  prevent  chilling  the  brood.  By 
inserting  a  frame  or  two  of  empty  comb  in  each  new  colony,  the 
brood  may  be  enclosed  in  smaller  space  and  the  heat  economized. 
Queenless  or  removeJ  colonies  should  have  their  entrances 
contracted  for  a  few  days  to  exclude  both  the  cool  air  and 
inquisitive  robber  bees.  In  all  these  methods,  as  in  natural 
swarming,  we  are  liable  to  have  queenless  colonies  by  the  loss 
of  young  queens,  when  making  their  excursions  to  meet  the 
drones.  Beside,  a  colony  will  do  httle  while  rearing  a  queen, 
which  consumes  much  time,  usually  in  the  height  of  honey  gath- 
ering. Hence,  perfection  will  not  be  reached  short  of  intro- 
ducing a  fertile  queen  at  the  time  of  swarming. 


NUCLEUS    SWABMING.  101 

THE    NUCLEUS    SYSTEM    OF    SWARMING. 

"  Tlie  introduction  of  a  mature  fertile  queen  to  a  colony  two 
weeks  sooner  than  when  they  swarm  naturally,  is  an  advantage 
sufficient  to  pay  for  extra  trouble.  The  time  gained  in  breeding 
is  equivalent  to  a  swarm." — M.  Quinby. 

In  swarming  bees  on  this  system,  we  first  rear  a  queen  in  a 
email  cluster — nucleus — of  bees,  allowing  the  nucleus  hive  to 
remain  in  its  pla€e  until  the  queen  becomes  fertile,  when  we 
swarm  the  bees  by  simply  causing  the  two  hives  to  exchange 
places.  Unlike  natural  swarming,  the  old  queen  remains  in  the 
parent  stock,  and  its  labors  go  on  scarcely  interrupted.  The 
system  is  based  upon  the  well  known  law,  that  bees,  after 
luxuriating  upon  the  flowers,  will  return  to  the  exact  spot  of 
their  old  habitation. 

Form  a  nucleus  from  an  Italian  or  other  populous  stock  by 
blowing  a  few  whiffs  of  smoke  into  the  entrance,  and  opening 
\he  hive,  select  a  frame  of  comb  containing  capped  brood,  but 
especialy  plenty  of  eggs  and  young  larvse.  After  looking  this 
over  carefuUy,  lest  the  old  queen  be  removed,  place  it  with  its 
adhering  bees  in  the  empty  hive,  and  next  to  it  another  comb 
containing  honey,  which  will  afford  protection  to  the  brood  and 
food  for  the  bees.  As  many  of  the  old  bees  will  return  to  the 
parent  stock,  give  the  nucleus  hive  at  least  a  quart  of  bees  and 
set  it  on  a  new  stand  two  or  three  rods  distant.  Contract  the  en- 
trance so  that  but  one  or  two  bees  can  pass  at  the  same  time,  and 
set  a  feed  pan  on  the  frames,  or  a  sponge  filled  with  sweetened 
water  will  supply  their  wants  until  the  young  bees  go  to  work 


102 


NUCLEUS    SWARMINQ. 


in  their  new  location.  In  place  of  the  combs  removed  from  the 
parent  stock,  set  in  empty  frames  with  a  full  one  between.  If 
the  frames  are  put  near  the  centre,  the  old  stock  will  increase  all 
the  faster,  as  the  queen  will  fill  the  new  comb  with  eggs  as  fast 
as  it  is  built.  The  removal  of  the  two  combs  stimulates  the 
bees  to  great  activity  by  giving  them  room  to  work,  and  detaches 
just  bees  enough  to  prevent  their  clustering  idly  about  the  en- 
trance. The  nucleus  wiU  construct  queen-cells  and  rear  a  queen 
as  weU  as  a  whole  swarm.  Beside,  the  queen  is  easily  found 
amoi:g  so  few  bees.  We  now  wait  until  the  tenth  or  eleventh 
day,  from  the  time  the  nucleus  was  formed,  when  we  open  it, 
and,  with  a  sharp  thin  bladed  pocket-knife,  cut  out  all  the  queen 
cells  hut  one,  and  use  them  immediately  in  forming  other  nuclei, 
by  attaching  one  of  them  to  a  frame  of 
comb  and  bees  taken  from  an  old  stock, 
as  before  described,  and  placed  in  an 
empty  hive.  In  transferring  queen-cells 
great  care  must  be  taken  not  to  press 
or  dent  them,  or  expose  them  long  to 
the  hot  sun  or  cool  air  for  fear  of  de- 
stroying the  royal  occupants.  The  be- 
ginner should  remove  but  one  at  a  time,, 
returning  the  frame  from  which  it  is 
taken  to  its  place  in  the  hive  until  th» 
royal  cell  is  adjusted  in  its  new  location. 
When  practicable,  leave  about  an  inch 
square  of  comb  attached  to  the  cell,  and  upon  takmg  the  comb  oi 
brood  frotn  the  old  stock,  make  an  opening  among  the  eggs  and 


12.     Queen-cell  Inaerted. 


REARING    QUEENS.  103 

larvae  where  the  bees  will  be  sure  to  cluster  upon  it  and  keep  it 
warm,  and  carefully  insert  it  as  shown  in  figure  12,  leaving  an 
open  space  below  it. 

If  the  first  nucleus  was  formed  from  the  only  Itahan  stock  in 
the  yard,  and  more  queen-cells  are  wanted,  remove  every  queen- 
cell  from  it,  and  add  another  comb  of  eggs  and  brood  from  its  pa- 
rent stock.  But  when  no  more  queen-cells  are  needed,  leave  one 
to  hatch,  and  as  by  this  time  the  brood  will  all  be  capped  over, 
the  bees  will  be  hable  to  follow  the  young  queen  on  her  excur- 
sion -to  meet  the  drones.  To  prevent  this,  exchange  one  of  the 
combs  for  one  containing  eggs  and  young  larvae,  when  forming 
the  other  nuclei.  Young  queens  will  return  unless  lost  by  birds 
or  other  casualties,  to  which  all  queens  are  once  exposed.  Such 
loss  is  easily  ascertained  among  so  few  bees,  and  we  have  only 
to  insert  another  queen-cell,  adding  a  comb  containing  eggs  and 
brood,  and  repeat  the  trial.  Should  the  parent  stock  be  very 
populous,  it  may  be  swarmed  by  taking  a  queen  from  a  nucleus 
belonging  to  a  less  populous  stock,  and  another  queen  reared 
there. 

WHEN  AND  HOW  TO  SWARM  THE  BEES. 

Every  populous  stock,  from  which  a  nucleus  has  been  formed, 
ihould  be  swarmed,  if  the  weather  is  favorable,  as  soon  as  the 
queen  in  the  nucleus  has  become  fertile.  This  is,  usually,  in 
from  six  to  ten  days  after  inserting  the  queen-cell,  and  is  readily 
determined  by  examining  the  combs  for  eggs.  ~We  now,  unless 
the  yield  of   honey  is  very  abundant,  confine  the  young  queen 


104  NUCLEUS    SWARMING. 

in  a  gat*ze  wire  cage.  Having  filled  up  the  nucleus  hive  with 
empty  frames,  exchange  the  places  of  the  two  hives,  bringing 
the  entrance  of  the  nucleus  hive  where  the  old  stock  has  stood, 
and  where  the  mass  of  the  old  bees  will  return  from  the  fields, 
thus  throwing  out  of  the  old  stock  swarms  of  workers  into  the 
nucleus  hive,  while  the  old  bees  from  the  nucleus  will  enter  the 
old  hive  and  minister  to  the  wants  of  the  numerous  brood  of  the 
parent  stock.  The  bees  must  not  be  swarmed  between  the  hatch 
ing  and  fertilization  of  the  queen,  and  should  they  be  swarmed 
when  the  honey  harvest  has  received  a  check  from  a  storm  or 
drought,  the  bees  thus  empty  of  honey  and  consequently  more 
quarrelsome,  being  suddenly  thrown  into  the  presence  of  a  strange 
queen  (although  of  the  same  scent)  are  inclined  to  sting  her.  To 
prevent  this  she.  is  caged  for  thirty-six  hours,  when  the  bees 
from  the  old  stock  will  mostly  have  joined  the  nucleus  colony 
and  she  may  be  safely  Hberated.  But,  if  she  was  taken  from 
another  nucleus,  we  sometimes  let  her  remain  caged  a  day 
longer,  or  smear  her  well,  with  warm  honey  and  drop  her  in 
among  the  bees.  They  immediately  commence  licking  up  the 
honey  and  forget  to  sting  her. 

If  from  any  cause  the  stocks  are  swarmed  when  the  bees  are 
working  but  little,  and  after  three  or  four  days  the  nucleus  swarm 
be  found  deficient  in  bees,  it  may  be  strengthened  by  exchang- 
ing some  of  its  empty  frames  for  frames  of  capped  brood  from 
the  parent  stock,  or  should  the  flowers  yield  bountifully  within  a 
week,  the  location  of  the  two  hives  may  again  be  exchanged. 
The  bees  will  not  quarrel  as  they  are  of  the  same  scent,  unless  a 
lucleus  has  been  formed  several  weeks,  or  when  honey  is  scarce, 


REARING    QUEENS.  105 

It  18  sometimes  necessary  to  treat  both  stocks — especially  the  old 
one — to  tobacco  smoke.  This  precaution,  however,  is  only  for 
the  inexperienced,  since,  in  the  midst  of  the  swarming  season, 
when  the  flowers  are  yielding  in  profusion,  Uttle  protection  is 
needed  either  for  the  queen  or  the  operator. 

ADVANTAGES    OF    THE    NUCLEUS    SYSTEM. 

The  superiority  of  this  system  may  be  seen  by  contrasting  it 
with  any  other  method  of  swarming.  Unlike  natural  swarming, 
by  this  system  all  our  new  swarms  have  young  queens,  and  as 
drone  comb  is  seldom  built  during  the  first  year  of  the  queen's 
existence,  we  get  the  frames  filled  almost  exclusively  with  worker 
comb.  By  it  our  stocks  and  colonies  are  never  without  fertile 
queens.  Hence,  breeding  and  honey  gathering  go  on  as  before, 
keeping  all  our  swarms  strong  and  safe  against  moths  and  other 
enemies.  But  in  natural  swarming  (which,  if  properly  managed 
in  movable-comb  hives,  is  preferable  to  most  methods)  much 
time  is  consumed  in  idleness  by  the  whole  swarm  rearing  a  queen 
in  the  best  part  of  the  season,  besides  honey  gathering  is  nearly 
suspended  for  ten  days  after  the  issue  of  the  first  swarm,  and  no 
eggs  are  laid  for  from  two  to  three  weeks,  or  until  the  fertihza- 
tion  of  the  young  queen,  and  before  these  mature,  so  great  is  the 
mortahty  of  bees  at  this  season  that  the  stock  is  sometimes  lost 
from  lack  of  bees  to  protect  its  combs.  While,  had  it  been  sup- 
phed  with  a  fertile  queen,  it  could  soon  have  spared  another 
swarm — so  incredibly  fast  do  bees  breed  during  the  honey  har- 
vest.    If  by  the  introduction  of  a  fertile  queen,"  the  time  gained 


106  NUCLEUS    SWARMING. 

in  breeding  is  equivalent  to  a  swarm,"  (and  we  think  no  close 
observer  will  doubt  it,)  then  it  follows  that  we  could  swarm  a 
stock  twice  on  the  nucleus  system  with  no  more  risk  than  swarm- 
ing once  naturally,  or  that  we  are  as  safe  against  poor  seasons  a» 
those  who  increase  on  an  average  but  one-half  annually.  Yet 
as  "  safety  and  certainty "  is  our  motto,  we  recommend  only 
doubling  the  number  of  populous  stocks,  at  which  rate  ten  stocks 
would  increase  to  one  hundred  and  sixty  in  four  years  if  every 
stock  was  swarmed  annually,  which  number  may  be  made  good, 
and  even  a  more  rapid  increase  safely  secured  by  using  the  sur- 
plus honey  stored  in  frames,  as  directed  under  "how  to  stock  an 
apiary."  In  short,  by  the  nucleus  system  of  swarming,  the 
vexatious  losses  attending  other  methods  are  avoided,  and  the 
process  is  so  easy  and  gradual  that  even  the  day-laborer  or  busi- 
ness man,  when  supphed  with  hives,  will  find  leisure  time  enough 
to  manage  quite  a  number  of  stocks  witli  profit  and  pleasure.  Whilst 
bees  might  be  managed  successfully  by  doubling  each  year,  more  honey 
can  be  obtained  by  keeping  the  stocks  all  very  strong,  and  only  making 
one  swarm  from  two  hives .  By  the  use  of  artificial  comb-foundation, 
great  advantage  is  gained.  Swarms  may  be  built  up  much  more  rapid- 
ly by  giving  sheets  of  this,  and  not  waiting  for  combs  to  be  built  before 
the  queen  can  lay  eggs.  Some  bee-keepers  have  been  very  successful 
in  rapidly  increasing  stocks,  and  each  year  establishing  new  apiaries  by 
putting  the  extra  hives  out  on  shares  to  new  parties.  The  owner  gener- 
ally furnishes  hives,  bees,  boxes,  and  owns  all  the  increase.  The  other 
does  the  work  and  in  the  fall  the  surplus  honey  is  divided  equally. 


CHAPTER  V. 


ITALIAN    BE2.S. 


This  varieij  of  the  honey  bee,  called  also  Ligurian  bee,  is 
found  in  small  districts  amid  the  Alps,  embracing  portions  of 
Switzerland  and  Northern  Italy.  They  are  of  a  striped  golden 
color,  and  were  described  by  Aristotle,  Virgil,  and  other  ancient 
writers,  as  variegated  in  color,  and  the  most  valuable  kind  then 
known,  but  for  centuries  they  were  unknown  outside  of  the  dis- 
tricts above  named,  the  surrounding  mountains  covered  with  per- 
petual snow  being  impassable  by  their  wings. 

They  were  accidentally  discovered,  during  the  wars  of  Napo- 
leon, by  Captain  Baldenstein,  who  carried  the  first  colony  across 
the  Alps  in  1843.  In  1853  they  were  introduced  by  Dzierzon  into 
Germany,  and  into  the  United  States  in  1860.  There  has  since 
been  several  importations.  "We  were  slow  to  believe  all  the 
good  things  said  of  them  by  German  apiarians,  until  convinced 
of  their  superiority  by  the  universal  testimony  of  prominent 
American  bee-keepers,  coupled  with  our  own  experience.  We 
present  a  few  extracts. 

"  We  beheve  that  the  superiority  of  the  Itahan  bee  is  no 
longer  questionable." — California  Culturist 

"  All  agreed  ad  to  the  superiority  of  the  Italian  to  the  com- 
mon black  bee." — From  the  Report  of  the  American.  Apiarian 
Convention. 


108 


ITALIAN    BEES. 


At  the  Wisconsin  Bee-keepers'  Convention,  in  February, 
1866,  the  following  resolution  was  passed  unanimously: 

"JResolved,  That  the  Italian  (or  Ligurian)  bee,  fully  sustains 
its  European  reputation,  and  this  association  heartily  recommend 
it  for  general  cultivation,  as  being  .more  hardy,  vigorous,  and 
fertile,  and,  as  a  consequence,  more  profitable." 

"  Of  their  superiority  there  can  be  no  question." — Dr.  Metcalf. 

Dr.  Kirtland,  of  Cleveland,  Ohio,  says :  "  My  colonies  are 
daily  watched  and  admired  by  many  visitors.  So  far  as  my  ex- 
perience has  gone,  I  find  every  statement  in  regard  to  their 
superiority  sustained.  They  will  no  doubt  prove  a  valuable 
•acquisition  to  locaHties  of  high  altitude,  and  will  be  peculiarly 
adapted  to  the  climate  of  Washington  Territory,  Oregon,  and 
the  mountainous  regions  of  California." 

Mr.  Langstroth  says :  "  If  we  may  judge  from  the  working 
■of  my  colonies,  the  Italians  will  fully  sustain  their  European 
reputation.  They  have  gathered  more  than  twice  as  much  honey 
as  the  swarms  of  the  common  bee.  This  honey  has  been  chiefly 
gathered  within  the  last  few  weeks,  during  which  time  the  swarms 
of  common  bees  have  increased  in  weight  but  very  little.  The 
season  here  has  been  eminently  unfavorable  for  the  new  swarms 
— one  of  the  worst  I  ever  knew — and  the  prospect  now  is,  that 
I  shall  have  to  feed  all  of  them  except  the  Italians." 

"  The  great  German  apiarian,  Mr.  Dzierzon,  informs  us  that 
bis  apiaries,  (now  consisting  of  more  than  six  hundred  colonies,) 
having  been  thoroughly  Italianized  in  1858,  produced"  him  last 
year  (1859)  more  than  double  the  quantity  of  honey  ever  ob 


THEIR    SUPEBIORITT.  109 

tamed  by  him  in  any  previous  year.  The  season  there  was  very 
fttvorable,  and  in  the  fall  there  was  an  unusual  abundance  of 
buckwheat  pasturage  in  his  neighborhood." — Ed.  American  Bee 
Journal. 

Mrs.  E.  S.  Tupper,  of  Brighton,  Iowa,  a  noted  Western 
writer  on  bee  culture,  says  :  "In  the  summer  of  1863  I  had  but 
two  Italian  stocks  to  commence  with.  One  of  these  stored  one 
hundred  and  ten  pounds  of  honey,  besides  giving  me  three  arti- 
ficial swarms ;  the  other  gave  me  two  swarms  and  stored  ninety- 
six  pounds  of  honey ;  and  all  the  swarms  but  one,  partly  fiUed 
several  boxes  each.  I  had,  that  same  season,  tifty-six  colonies 
of  common  bees,  all  of  which  were  divided,  but  not  one  of  which 
stored  a  pound  of  honey,  though  in  the  same  kind  of  hives  and 
treated  in  a  similar  way  with  the  Itahans.  That  season  it  will 
be  remembered  was  very  poor. 

"  In  the  summer  of  1864, 1  averaged  from  nine  Italian  colonies 
one  hundred  and  nineteen  pounds  each.  The  greatest  yield  from 
one  hive  was  as  foUows :  one  full  swarm  taken  from  it  the  fif- 
teenth of  May ;  honey  taken  in  boxes  through  the  season,  one 
hundred  and  fifty-six  pounds,  besides  four  full  frames  from  which 
lo  rear  queens;  the  swarm  from  it  stored  eighty  pounds  in  a 
cap,  and  on  the  fifteenth  of  July  threw  off  a  very  large  swarm, 
which  filled  its  hive,  and  stored  several  pounds  in  boxes.  Thus 
we  have  two  hundred  and  thirty-six  pounds  of  box  honey,  be- 
sides two  extra  large  colonies,  from  a  single  hive,  not  reckoning 
the  frames  and  partially  filled  boxes.  I  do  not  think  a  colony 
of  the  common  bee  ever  did  as  much  in  the  best  season ;  if  so, 
let  us  have  the  record." 


TIO  ITALIAN    BEES. 

Having  now  had  an  experience  of  several  years  with  Italian 
bees,  spending  much  of  our  time  in  the  apiary,  rearing  queens, 
we  find  them  to  possess  the  following  points  of  superiority  over 
the  common  black  bee : 

Their  individual  strength  being  greater,  they  fly  with  less 
fatigue  and  are  more  active  and  successfal  in  defending  their 
stores  against  both  the  moth-miller  and  robber  bees.  They  gather 
honey — especially  when  other  sources  fail — from  iron  weed,  this- 
tle and  other  flowers  which  are  seldom  visited  by  the  black  bees, 
working  quite  freely  upon  the  seed  crop  of  red  clover,  when 
other  late  forage  is  cut  short  by  drought.  They  also  work  more 
steadily  during  the  season,  even  when  there  is  but  httle  honey  to 
be  gathered  from  any  source,  and  it  being  a  well  known  fact  that 
breeding  keeps  pace  with  honey  gathering,  the  result  is,  strong 
stocks,  which  secure  a  large  product  of  honey,  and  are  proof 
against  the  moth-worm  and  poor  seasons.  Hence  the  import- 
ance of  the  above  pecuharities  cannot  easily  be  over  estimated, 
and  they  account  in  part  for  the  following  characteristic  dififer- 
ences  between  the  two  races  of  bees: 

1st.  The  Itahan  queens  are  called  "prolific  breeders,"  as  the 
stocks  breed  earlier  in  the  season  and  continue  later,  casting 
larger  swarms  and  swarming  on  an  average  about  two  weeks 
earher  than  the  black  bee,  thereby  gaining  that  much  time  in 
the  best  of  the  gathering  season,  and  usually  swarming  in  sea 
sons  when  common  bees  do  not. 

2d.  They  gather  much  larger  stores  of  honey  than  the  black 
bees,  as  proven  by  the  united  testimony  of  eminent  apiarians 
both  in  Europe  and  America. 


POINTS   OF   SUPElilOKITY.  Ill 

3d.  In  opening  a  hive,  the  Italians,  when  pure,  are  much  more 
peaceable  than  the  black  bees,  antl  the  queen  is  more  readily  found,  not 
so  much  on  account  of  contrast  in  color  as  from  the  fact  that  with  the 
workers  she  usually  remains  undisturbed  upon  the  combs. 

4:th.  Being  more  constant  workers,  the  Italians  are  less  inclined  to  rob 
than  the  native  bees.  Being  hardier,  they  are  longer  lived,  winter  more 
safely,  and  are  moie  inclined  to  supercede  their  queens  when  pasttheir 
prime.  Hence,  colonies  are  not  so  liable  to  become  queenless,  and 
queenless  stocks  do  not  so  rapidly  become  depopulated. 

5th.  Their  beauty  of  color  and  graceful  form  render  them  an  object 
of  interest  to  every  person  of  taste.  Hence,  they  attract  many  visitors, 
who  admire  the  golden  hues,  so  beautifully  shown  by  the  sun's  rays,  as 
they  pass  swiftly  to  and  from  the  hive. 

IMPOBTANCE   OF   NEW  BliOOD  IN  THE  APIARY. 

Whilst  we  fully  endorse  the  great  benefits  resulting  from  the  intro- 
duction of  Italian  bees,  we  doubt  after  years'  of  experience  and  obser- 
vation whether  the  benefits  result  so  much  from  the  superiority  of  the 
Italian  bee  itself,  as  from  the  admixture  of  foreign  blood,  thereby  cor- 
recting, to  a  great  extent  the  mischief  that  has  resulted  from  too  long 
in  and  in  breeding.  And  this  benefit  has  been  due  directly  to  the  sup- 
posed, and  claimed,  superiority  of  the  Italian  bee,  to  obtain,  which 
extra  efi"orts  were  put  forth.  Many  of  our  closest  observing  apiarists  are 
beginning  to  doabt  whether  Italians  are  really  so  much  preferable  to 
hybrids,  as  is  sometimes  claimed. 

We  are  inclined  to  believe  that  there  is  great  truth  in  the  statements 
of  Rev.  J.  W.  Shearer,  in  our  "Bee-Keepebs  Magazine,"  of  January 
last,  from  which  we  make  some  quotations: 

**  Every  fanner  is  well  aware  of  the  injury  resulting  from  too  close 


112  ITALIAN  BE]qS. 

breeding  for  successive  geuerations  among  his  horses,  cattle  or  fo\Tls; 
but  no  attention,  or  but  little,  was  paid  to  this  by  bee-keepers,  until 
very  recently.  In  the  primitive  condition  of  our  forests,  and  in  earlier 
times,  the  very  nature  and  instincts  of  the  honey  bee,  prevented  in- 
jury from  this  source.  The  woods  had  not  yet  been  cut  down,  nor  be- 
come familiar  to  the  tread  of  man.  Swarms  of  bees  from  different 
settlements,  and  of  distinct  blood,  became  near  neighbors,  as  they  em- 
igrated to  the  woods  and  found  homes  in  the  hollow  trees.  Thus 
strengthened  physically  by  constant  foreign  mixture,  and  stimulated  by 
the  great  blossoms  in  unfelled  forest  trees,  the  westward  march  of  the 
honey  bee,  in  his  colonization  of  the  forests,  was  far  more  rapid  than 
that  of  the  squatter  or  the  emigrant.  Although  man,  the  Indian,  and 
the  bear,  attracted  by  the  accumulated  stores,  proved  alike — the  enemy 
of  the  hive,  the  honey  bee  continued  to  thrive  and  increase,  until  under 
changed  conditions,  a  deterioration  naturally  succeeded  from  destruc- 
tion of  natural  pasturage,  and  injury  from  in-and-in  breeding. 

"As  civilization  advanced,  and  men  owne*!  small  sections  of  wood- 
land every  part  of  it  became  well-known  to  the  owner  or  to  the  ubiquit- 
ous hunter.  In  such  communities  every  '  bee-tree '  was  soon  marked  and 
destroyed.  Thus  all  prospects  of  ;^ new  blood,  naturally  from  emigrat- 
ing swarms,  was  destroyed,  as  colonizing  swarms  in  the  woods  decreased, 
either  from  lack  of  suitable  trees  in  well  settled  communities,  or  from 
speedy  destruction  by  those  who  sought  their  stores. 

"  Superstitious  notions  on  the  part  of  old  fashioned  bee-keepers  tend- 
ed greatly  to  augument  the  difficulty.  If  a  man  wished  to  make  a  start 
in  bees  he  must  either  steal  a  hive  from  the  nearest  neighbor,  or  get  it 
from  the  woods  nearby,  for  it  was  generally  thought  the  bees  be  moved 
but  a  small  distance.  The  result  was  that  the  bees  in  any  one  vicinity 
continued  to  increase  without  new  blood.     In  many  places  the  distanct 


POINTS    or   SUPERIORITY.  113 

to  the  nearest  oee-keeper  was  too  great  for  mixture  in  mating,  or  else 
the  neighbors  around  stole  a  hive  from  the  man  who  first  started  in  bees. 
Thus  breeding  from  the  same  stock  from  generation  to  generation,  it  was 
no  wonder  that  a  general  complaint  wad  heard:  'Father's,  or  grand 
father's  bees  used  to  do  well  here;  but  some  how,  in  late  years,  they  have 
run  out'  Every  observing  bee-keeper  has  met  with  similar  experience 
in  his  own  observations  amongst  '  old  box  hive '  bee-keepers.  The  im- 
portance of  this  subject  in  bee-keeping,  seems  fortunately  to  have  been 
stumbled  on  while  working  for  other  ends. 

"Simultaneous  with  the  introduction  of  movable  combs,  and  such  in- 
crease of  practical  knowledge  as  tended  to  advance  bee-culture,  the 
claim  of  the  great  superiority  of  the  Italian  bee,  led  to  its  being  im- 
ported, bred,  and  largely  desseminated.  Without  now  entering  upon 
the  subject  of  the  comparative  merits  of  the  Italian  and  native  bee,  it  is 
enough  for  the  present  purpose,  to  state  that  we  believe  a  great  deal  of 
the  acknowledged  good  from  the  introduction  of  Italian  bees  into 
apiaries,  all  over  the  country,  comes  from  the  introduction  of  new  blood. 
"We  are  satisfied  that  the  Italian  baes  are,  in  several  respects,  superior 
to  our  native  bees,  but  not  according  to  the  apparent  improvement 
when  our  Italian  queen  is  introduced  into,  and  bred  from,  in  our 
apiary.  Many  men  whose  bees  had  deteriorated  from  in-and-in  breed- 
ing, have  found  such  superiority  when  an  Italian  was  introduced  as  to 
run  to  the  opposite  extreme,  of  overrating  these  new  bees.  The  contro- 
versy among  the  different  apiarians  at  present,  concerning  the  compara- 
tive merits  of  the  two  varieties  hinges,  as  we  believe,  just  on  this  point. 
Those  who  claim  superiority  or  equality  for  the  common  bee,  are  par- 
ties who  have,  to  some  extent,  reared  Italians,  or  else  some  of  their 
neighbors  have  had  them,  and  thus  the  stock  of  common  bees  they 
have  had  on  hand,  have  been  improved  by  the  new  blood,  which 
they  do  not  feel  is  due  to  the  Italians,  because  their  bees  are  black  bees, 
or  merely  hybrids,  from  black  queens,  and  Italian  drones.  It  is  well 
known  that  some  prominent  breeders  have  claimed  that  the  hybrids  are, 
in  many  respects,  superior  to  Italians.  We  believe  that  the  ordinary- 
apiarian  will  find  it  more  profitable  to  get  an  Italian  queen,  and  from 


114  ITALIAN   BEES. 

her  raise  only  queens ;  permitting  them  to  mate  with  black  drones,  than 
to  get  both  the  drone  and  the  egg  for  the  queen  from  the  same  queen. 

QUEEN    EEABING. 

Pure  Italian  queen  rearing  is  important  to  apiculture  in  our  country, 
more  for  the  benefit  of  new  blood,  than  because  of  the  superiority  in  the 
bees  themselves.  But  those  who  rear  them,  in  order  to  get  the  best 
bees,  must  not  continue  to  breed  from  the  same  queen,  and  her  direct 
progeny,  because  of  bright  color;  but  must  constantly  introduce  new 
pure  Italian  blood,  into  their  breeding  departments,  both  from  abroad 
and  from  other  apiaries  in  our  own  country.  But,  for  the  interest  in 
the  Italian  bee,  perhaps  not  for  a  long  time  to  come,  would  bee-keepers 
have  learned  to  cage,  ship,  import,  and  introduce  queens  as  they  have, 
thus  opening  up  a  way  for  improvement  in  the  bees  themselves,  as  well 
as  in  modes  of  management  for  profit.  The  conclusion  which  we  have 
reached  on  this  subject  is  this:  Encourage  the  Italian  queen  rearers,  so 
that  they  can,  and  will  furnish  good,  pure  stock,  and  at  the  same  time 
introduce  new  blood — the  best  blood  you  can  get  for  hard  work  in  the 
apiary.  It  may  be  that  still  greater  results  may  be  gotten  from  intro- 
ducing, and  crossing  the  Dalmatian,  Cyprian,  and  Egyptian  bees,  with 
those  we  now  have.  Seek  improvement  in  bees,  just  as  in  stock,  by 
mixing  and  crossing  and  continuous  breediug  in  pure  strains  for  cross- 
ing with  others. 

CHANGING   A   STOCK   OF   COMMON   BEES   TO   ITALIANS. 

To  Italianize  a  colony  of  black  bees,  it  is  only  necessary  to  remove 
the  native  queen  and  substitute  in  her  place  a  fertile  Italian  queen.  The 
Italian  queen  will  commence  laying  almost  immediately,  her  progeny 
beginning  to  hatch  in  about  three  weeks,  and  in  from  three  to  six  months 
the  whole  stock  will  be  pure  Italian.  The  native  qtieen  is  most  easily 
found  by  opening  the  hive  near  the  middle  of  a  clear  day,  when  many 
bees  are  absent  in  the  fields.  Handle  the  combs  carefully,  look- 
ing over  one  at  a  time,  using  the  smoke  sparingly,  lest  the  queen 
be  driven    from    the  combs.     It  may  sometimes  be  necessary  to  shake 


ITALIAN    BEES.  115 

the  bees  upon  a  sheet,  that  the  queen  may  be  seen  and  aestrojed 
as  she  crawls  toward  the  hive.  If  the  Itahan  queen  was  ob- 
tained from  a  distance,  the  box  in  which  she  was  shipped  should 
be  opened  before  a  window,  in  a  closed  room,  that  the  queen  be 
not  lost  should  she  flj  from  the  box.  When  introducing  a 
choice  queen,  we  should  run  no  risk  of  having  her  stung  by  the 
bees ;  she  must  therefore  be  confined  in  a  small  wire-cloth  cage, 
which  should  be  immediately  inserted  near  the  centre  of  one  of 
the  brood  combs,  where  the  bees  will  cluster  upon  it,  feeding 
the  queen  and  keeping  her  warm.  A  drop  of  honey  placed 
within  her  reach  can  do  no  harm.  At  the  end  of  thirty-six  hours, 
she  should  be  liberated,  smeared  with  honey,  and  allowed  to 
crawl  down  among  the  bees. 

Another  method  is  to  remove  the  native  queen,  and  if  near 
the  swarming  season,  look  for  queen  cells  and  destroy  them  if 
any  are  found.  The  stock  is  now  allowed  to  stand  queenless 
for  about  ten  days.  Open  the  hive  on  the  tenth  day,  at  the 
farthest,  and  cut  off  all  the  queen  cells,  for  if  longer  neglected 
a  queen  might  hatch  which  would  have  to  be  hunted  up  and 
destroyed.  The  bees  being  now  without  eggs  or  young  larvae, 
will  give  up  all  hopes  of  rearing  a  queen,  and  the  Itahan  may 
be  safely  introduced  as  before  directed.  In  aU  cases  the  queen 
should  be  well  smeared  with  honey  before  she  is  allowed  to  go 
among  the  bees,  as  while  cleaning  off  the  honey  they  have  nc 
disposition  to  sting,  and  having  time  to  discover  her  rank,  re- 
ceive her  kindly. 

In  the  proper  seasons  a  populous  stock  may  be  divided 
and  an  Italian  queen  caged  and  given  to  the  queenless  part. 


116  ITALIANIZING    A    WHOLE    APIARY. 

or  a  swarm  may  be  driven  from  a  strong  stock  in  the  box  hive, 
as  directed  on  page  60,  and  after  returning  the  native  queen  to 
the  parent  stock,  the  Itahan  queen  may  be  introduced  to  the 
swarm  in  the  new  hive.  Again,  a  queen  may  be  given  to  a 
natural  swarm  after  hunting  out  the  black  queen.  If  another 
Italian  queen  cannot  be  had,  the  black  queen  should  be  returned 
to  the  parent  stock. 

ITALIANIZING    A    WHOLE    APIARY. 

"w4.  man  near  Gotha,  Germany,  purchased  two  stands  of  Ital- 
ian hees  five  years  ago,  and  in  the  spring  of  1866  had  increased 
his  number  to  twenty-five  stands,  not  one  queen  of  which  had 
mated  with  the  black  drones,  though  hundreds  of  common  colonies 
were  within  two  miles  of  him.  His  secret  is  to  keep  his  colonies 
always  very  strong,  not  aiming  at  a  rajnd  increase,  and  making 
his  swarms  very  early.  The  instinct  of  the  Italians  is  to  rear 
drones  earlier  than  the  other  bee,  and  they  rear  brood  much  faster 
in  the  spring,  so  that  it  is  safe  to  ^  do^  the  swarming  before  the 
black  drones  appear,  and  thus  secure  the  impregnation  of  your 
young  queens  by  Italian  drones.''^ — Prairie  Farmer. 

If  the  colonies  are  in  box  hives,  transfer  one  or  more  strong 
stocks  and  obtain  queens  for  them  any  time  during  the  season 
from  May  to  November.  In  order  to  commence  with  pure 
stock,  the  queens  should  be  obtained  from  some  rehable  person, 
as  almost  every  subterfuge  is  resorted  to  by  unprincipled  dealers 
to  make  the  pubhc  beheve  that  they,  above  aU  others,  have  the 
location  for  breeding  pure  Italians.  Early  the  next  spring, 
place  drone  comb  near  the  centre  of  your  Italian  stocks,  and  feed 
them  regularly  to  induce  early  breeding,  and  bring  the  drones 
forward  several  weeks  before  black  drones  appear.      If  youl 


ITALIAN    BEES.  117 

black  bees  are  in  common  hives  transfer  them,  putting  the  drone 
comb  in  the  outside  frames.  Should  jou  desire  to  Itahanize 
stocks  for  neighbors,  they  may  be  brought  to  your  yard  and 
Italianized  with  your  own.  As  soon  as  the  Itahan  drones  begin 
to  hatch,  form  one  or  more  strong  nuclei  from  your  best  Itahan 
stock  to  obtain  a  large  number  of  queen-cells,  as  directed  on 
pages  65,  66  and  67. 

On  the  eighth  day  after  forming  the  nuclei,  examine  to  ascer- 
tain the  number  of  queen-cells,  and  remove  the  black  queens 
from  about  two-thirds  as  many  stocks.  Leave  them  thus  over 
night  to  realize  their  loss,  and  then  carefully  insert  a  queen-ceU 
among  the  brood  in  each  stock.  Mark  the  frames  containing 
them  and  examine  the  next  day,  for  if  any  are  destroyed  others 
must  be  inserted  in  their  places.  What  queen-cells  remain  may 
be  used  for  other  stocks,  except  to  leave  one  in  each  nuclei  to 
hatch  and  become  fertile  to  supply  neighbors  or  to  be  used  in 
awarming.  This  method  is  short,  but  requires  close  attention  to 
prevent  some  stocks  from  rearing  black  queens  or  becoming 
queenless.  The  stocks  wiU  also  be  somewhat  weakened  by 
being  deprived  of  a  laying  queen  even  for  a  short  time  at  this 
season  of  the  year.  The  process  will  seldom  be  so  well  managed 
but  that  a  few  black  drones  will  be  reared,  hence  if  queens  are 
not  reared  early  the  first  season,  some  of  them  wiU  be  likely  to 
mate  with  black  drones,  which  will  be  known  by  some  of  their 
worker  progeny  having  but  two  yellow  bands  and  otliers  none 
at  all,  while  a  part  will  have  the  three  bands  of  the  pure  Itahan. 
A.  few  poorly  marked  in  any  stock  should  not  condemn  it,  il 
there  are  any  hybrid  stocks  in  the  yard,  as   bees  from   different 


118  ITALIANIZING    A    WHOLE    APZARY. 

colonies  will  mix  to  some  extent ;  but  the  young  bees  should  be 
examined  when  just  hatching  from  the  combs,  to  see  if  all  have 
the  three  yellow  bands.  If  any  queens  are  found  to  have  mated 
with  black  drones,  it  is  safest  to  remove  them  as  soon  as  other 
queens  can  be  reared  to  take  their  places,  for  although  they  will 
produce  pure  Italian  drones,  yet  should  such  a  stock  swarm  or 
k)se  its  queen,  a  queen  would  be  reared  (unless  prevented)  from 
her  hybridized  eggs  whose  drone  progeny  would  be  impure. 

Another  method  preferred  by  some,  ia  to  Italianize  all  your 
own  and  your  neighbors'  stocks  as  far  as  practicable  the  first 
year.  To  do  this,  secure  the  construction  of  as  many  queen- 
cells  as  possible  from  the  brood  in  the  Italian  stock,  and  insert 
one  in  each  nucleus.  Let  the  queens  hatch  and  become  fertile, 
paying  no  attention  to  what  kind  of  drones  they  meet.  When 
fertile  introduce  them  to  the  parent  stocks,  and  rear  others  the 
same  way  before  swarming.  These  queens,  having  been  fertil- 
ized by  black  drones,  their  worker  progeny  will  be  hybrids,  but 
their  drones  will  be  pure.  The  next  season,  all  the  drones  in 
the  apiary  being  pure  Italians,  the  work  is  half  accomplished. 
Then  rear  another  set  of  queens,  one  for  each  hive,  from  the 
original  pure  one,  and  there  being  none  other  but  pure  drones  in 
the  neighborhood,  the  young  queens  will  seldom  find  black  ones, 
especially  if  the  apiary  be  large. 

ITALIAN    QUEEN    REARING. 

The  superiority  of  Italian  bees  is  becoming  so  generally 
known  that  there  is  a  great  and  constantly  irfcreasing  demand 
for  queens  ;  hence  the  necessity  for  plain  practical  directions  that 


ITALIAN    BEES.  119 

shall  insure  success  m  rearing  them  even  by  the  inexperienced 
bee-keeper.  "We  are  aware  that  general  rules  have  been  given, 
and  many  nice  things  written,  yet  the  practical  part,  upon 
which  success  depends,  is  understood  by  but  few.  We  have 
already  given  directions  for  rearing  queens  to  Itahanize  ac 
apiary,  but  when  desirous  of  engaging  in  their  extensive  proj  a 
gation,  the  following  course  should  be  pursued.  Having  Itah 
ianized  your  own  apiary,  and  all  your  neighbors'  stocks  within 
about  three  miles,  you  are  fuHy  prepared  to  commence  the 
business  of  queen  rearing. 

SMALL  BOXES  FOR  THE  NUCLEI. 

The  small  hives  or  nuclei  boxes  should  be  made  about  six 
inches  square  inside,  and  the  same  in  depth  below  the  rabbets, 
which  should  be  three-fourths  of  an  inch  deep.  The  frames,  four 
in  number,  are  suspended  upon  these  rabbets,  their  top  bars 
being  narrow,  the  same  as  the  side  and  bottom  bars.  The  mov 
able  cover  should  be  an  inch  larger  than  the  top  of  the  box,  and 
clamped  to  prevent  warping.  Listing,  or  strips  of  woolen  cloth, 
should  be  tacked  all  around  on  the  under  side  of  the  cover,  near 
the  edge,  to  fit  upon  the  top  of  the  box  and  confine  the  heat 
generated  by  the  bees.  Before  nailing  the  box  together,  a 
rabbet,  five-eighths  deep  and  two  inches  wide,  should  be  cut 
across  the  inside  of  the  back,  and  a  piece  tacked  on  the  lower 
edge  to  hold  in  the  tin  feed  trough.  One  end.  of  this  rabbet 
must  be  fiUed-up  and  the  other  end  covered  with  a  flap  screwed 
to  the  outside  of  the  hive. 

This  flap  is  to  be,  turned  to  admit  of  drawmg  out  and  filling 

Note.- -We  now  use  only  largce  hives  for  queen  rearing,  having  discarded  th« 
small  boxesj. 


120  ITALIAN    QUEEN    REARING. 

the  pan  when  necessary  to  feed,  and  when  the  bees  art  to  be 
confined  to  the  hive,  turn  the  other  end  of  the  flap,  which  should 
have  a  hole  in  it  covered  with  wire-cloth,  to  give  ventilation. 
The  boxes  should  be  painted  a  variety  of  bright  colors — some 
white,  others  red,  blue,  &c. — and  scattered  over  the  yard  so  that 
a  young  queen  may  easily  distinguish  her  hive  from  any  other 
near  it.  A  cheap  stand  is  made  by  naihng  strips  of  board  for 
posts  to  each  corner  of  a  bottom-board  eighteen  or  twenty  inches 
square.  The  posts  should  project  eight  inches  below  the  bottom 
board,  for  legs,  and  two  of  them  sixteen  and  two  eighteen  inches 
above  it,  laying  on  a  board  for  shade.  We  make  the  small 
frames  the  proper  size  to  fit  four  of  them  into  one  of  the  large 
frames,  and  thus  obtain  brood  from  any  hive  by  filling  the  small 
frames  with  thin  worker-comb,  or  sticking  in  small  pieces  and 
allowing  the  bees  to  build  the  combs.  We  prefer,  however,  to 
have  one  or  more  breeding  hives  made  the  same  as  the  small 
hives,  but  long  enough  to  hold  sixteen  of  the  small  frames,  and 
having  several  entrances  along  the  front  side.. 

HOW    TO    COMMENCE    QUEEN    REARING. 

As  soon  as  drones  can  be  reared  in  the  spring,  break  up  the 
stock  from  which  you  wish  to  breed,  and  transfer  the  combs  into 
the  small  frames,  placing  them  on  the  old  stand  in  one  of  the 
long  breeding  hives.  Shake  the  bees  upon  a  sheet  near  the 
entrance,  and  as  fast  as  tney  enter  and  collect  on  the  combs  they 
may  be  hfted  out  and  placed  in  the  nuclei  boxes,  giving  a  frame 
of  brood  and  one  of  honey  to  each,  and  filling  the  other  two 
frames  with  empty  comb. 


ITALIAN    BEES.  121 


Each  nucleus  should  have  about  one  quart  of  bees,  which  must 
be  closed  in,  laying  a  rough  board  on  the  top  and  turning  the 
flap  to  give  ventilation.  To  prevent  them  from  returning  to 
their  old  stand,  they  must  remain  closed  in  for  about  thirty-SLX 
hours,  when  the  entrance  should  be  opened  at  sunset,  the  venti 
lator  turned,  and  the  regular  cover  put  on  to  retain  the  heat.  If 
bees  for  the  nuclei  are  taken  from  a  natural  swarm,  or  brought 
from  the  distance  of  a  mile,  they  need  only  be  confined  until 
sunset.  About  three  quarts  of  bees  must  be  left  with  the  old 
queen  in  the  breeding  hive,  and  it  may  be  necessary  to  place 
upon  it  the  cap  of  the  old  hive  that  the  bees  may  recognize  their 
old  location  and  not  enter  other  hives.  If  queen-cells  are  at 
hand,  one  should  be  inserted  when  forming  each  nucleus ;  but  if 
none  can  be  had,  leave  all  the  nuclei  until  the  tenth  day,  when 
more  nuclei  may  be  formed  and  a  queen-cell  for  each  taken  from 
those  first  formed,  leaving  but  one  in  each  nucleus.  Examine  the 
nuclei  often  after  queen-cells  are  inserted,  as  some  cells  may  be 
destroyed  or  prove  worthless  and  others  be  needed  in  their 
places.  As  soon  as  any  nucleus  hatches  its  queen,  one  of  its 
■empty  combs  should  be  exchanged  for  a  frame  of  brood  in  the 
maggot  state  from  the  breeding  hive.  This  will  stimulate  the 
queen  to  make  her  excursion  to  meet  the  drones  and  prevent  the 
bees  from  following  her,  in  which  case,  unless  discovered,  they 
would  be  lost.  The  brood,  if  supphed  often,  will' also  keep  up 
the  strength  of  the  nuclei.  It  will  be  found  convenient  to  have 
a  piece  of  slate  or  board  attached  to  each  nucleus  upon  which  to 
record  its  condition.  When  a  queen  becomes  fertile,  it  will  be 
known  bv  eggs  being  found  in  the  brood  combs. 


X22  ITAIilAN   QUEEN    BEAEING. 

SHIPPING   QUEENS. 

The  simplest  way  to  send  queens  is  by  mail,  in  a  small  wooden  queeiw 
cage,  containing  sugar  candy  poured  when  hot  in  one  end  for  food.  It 
is  best  to  enclose  twenty  or  twenty-five  workers  with  her.  Such  queen 
cages  are  made  by  boring  one  and  one-half  inch  auger  holes  nearly 
through  a  plank  one  and  one-fourth  inches  thick  and  cutting  into  blocks 
two  inches  square.  A  small  auger  hole  for  an  entrance  on  one  edge, 
stopped  with  cork,  and  a  wire  cloth  tacked  over  the  hole  completes  it. 
We  have  sent  queens  by  mail  successfully  to  the  Sandwich  Islands. 
Sometimes  it  may  be  preferred  to  send  queens  with  comb  and  brood  iiL 
nucleus  boxes  by  express .  If  so,  one  small  frame  of  bees  and  honey  is 
sufficient.  Fasten  it  securely,  so  as  to  prevent  possible  injury,  and  give 
good  ventilation,  (with  opening,  covered  with  wire  cloth) . 


Except  where  queen  rearing  is  followed  as  a  business,  we  recommend 
using  only  full  sized  frames  for  nucleus  hives.  They  are  then  exchange 
able  at  any  time,  and  may  be  used  for  full  colonies  in  winter. 

"When  small  frames  are  used  the  outside  of  each  should  be  a  certain; 
proportion  of  the  inside  of  the  full  frame,  so  as  to  be  used  within  it 
when  desired  for  placing  m  the  lull  hive. 

Whenever  there  is  a  scarcity  of  honey  in  the  flowers,  it  will  be 
necessary  to  feed  some  of  the  nuclei,  especially  those  having  unfertile 
queens  or  young  brood,  and  those  constructing  queen-cells.  Also  the^ 
breeding  hives,  as  it  is  sometimes  necessary  to  keep  the  bees  continual- 
ly building  comb  in  order  to  induce  the  queen  to  rear  much  brood. 

A  regular  supply  of  queen-ceUs  may  be  had  every  five  days; 
by  having  two  queenless  stocks,  and  inserting  in  them  alternately^ 
every  fifth  day,    comb  containing  eggs  and  larvae    taken  from    any 


ITALIAN    BEES.  123 

stock  from  which  you  may  wish  to  breed.  The  queen-ceEs  must 
be  removed  by  the  tenth  day  from  the  time  the  brood  was 
mserted,  lest  a  queen  should  hatch  and  destroy  all  the  other  cells 
in  the  hive.  If  the  comb  containing  eggs  and  larvae  for  queen, 
cells  be  new,  more  cells  will  be  built.  Before  inserting  it  in  the 
queenless  stock  it  should  be  cut  in  strips  an  inch  wide  by  tliree 
inches  long.  To  insert  one  of  these  strips,  make  an  opening  in 
the  comb  three  inches  long  by  one  inch  deep,  and  directly  under 
this  cut  out  a  piece  two-and-a-half  inches  long  by  one  inch  deep, 
which  will  give  room  for  lengthening  down  the  cells,  and  also 
leave  a  shoulder  to  support  each  end  of  the  strip.  As  fast  as 
the  cells  are  used  other  strips  may  be  inserted  in  the  same  open 
ings.  A  queen  is  seldom  injured  while  caged  if  the  wire-cloth 
be  neither  coarser  nor  finer  than  fifteen  or  twenty  meshes  to  the 
inch.  The  cage  is  sometimes  made  by  winding  a  piece  of  wire- 
cloth  around  the  thumb  and  stopping  the  ends  with  corks,  but 
we  prefer  them  made  about  three-eighths  of  an  inch  deep,  nail- 
ing the  edges  of  the  wire-cloth  to  a  wooden  bottom.  When 
introducing  a  queen,  the  cage  is  sometimes  suspended  in  the  hive 
by  a  wire  between  two  combs,  but  the  safety  of  the  queen  is  bet- 
ter secured  by  inserting  the  cage  in  a  comb  near  the  brood,  with 
room  above  for  the  bees  to  hover  upon  it. 

By  making  and  keeping  stocks  queenless,  and  feeding  them 
when  necessary,  drones  are  retained  for  fertilizing  queens  late  in 
tlie  fall.  By  inducing  the  bees  in  such  stocks  to  cluster  outside, 
either  by  contracting  the  space  inside,  or  leaning  a  piece  of  comb 
filled  with  capped  brood  against  the  entrance,  drones  will  c(  illect 
to  such  hives  by  thousands. 


CHAPTER  VX 


THE    APIARY. 


In  selecting  a  site  for  an  apiary,  we  prefer  to  have  the  ground 
deecend  sHghtlj  to  the  east  or  south.  The  hives  should  be  pro- 
tected in  winter  and  spring  from  the  prevailing  winds,  either  by 
buildings,  trees,  fences  or  other  breakwind.  Although  we 
prefer,  when  convenient,  to  have  our  hives  front  the  east  or 
south,  it  is  of  httle  consequence  as  far  as  the  prosperity  of  the 
bees  is  concerned.  The  hives  should  be  sheltered  from  the  rays 
of  the  noonday  sun,  except  in  April  and  May,  when  much 
warmth  is  needed  to  promote  breeding.  Care  should  be  taken 
not  to  place  hives  against  old  buildings  or  fences,  which  form  a 
congenial  harbor  for  bugs,  spiders,  ants  and  other  insects.  Each 
stock  should  have  a  separate  stand,  and  there  is  no  danger  of 
getting  the  hives  too  far  apart.  It  is  most  convenient  to  have 
the  hives  near  the  ground.  From  five  to  ten  inches  is  nigh 
onough  for  stands  if  means  are  taken  to  keep  down  the  grass 
and  weeds.  A  cheap  and  good  stand  is  made  by  taking  two 
pieces  of  four  inch  scaiitling  fifteen  inches  long,  and  nailing  upon 
them  a  board  twenty  inches  long  by  fifteen  wide.  If  a  higher 
stand  be  preferred,  take,  instead  of  the  scantling,  two  pieces  of 
}oist  two  inches  by  six,  or  four  pieces  of  board  may  be  nailed 


THE    APIABY.  125 

together  wiiii  a  fifth  one  across  the  top,  forming  an  inverted  box. 
These  stands  oeing  movable,  the  stocks  are  less  hable  to  be 
crowded,  and  when  most  convenient  may  be  placed  in  an  orchard, 
as  there  should  be  low  topped  trees  and  shrubs  near  the  hives, 
both  for  shade  and  for  swarms  to  cluster  upon.  The  hives 
should  also  be  in  full  view  from  the  most  frequented  part  of  the 
house,  that  swarms  may  be  heard  and  seen  as  they  rise,  with  the 
leasft  possible  trouble. 

LARGE    APIARIES. 

In  choosing  a  location  for  a  large  apiary,  the  pasturage 
afforded  by  the  neighborhood  should  receive  attention — such  as 
white  clover,  orcharding,  forest  trees,  &c.  If  this  be  satisfac 
tory  it  will  pay  weU  to  go  to  some  expense  in  fitting  up  a  bee 
yard.  One  hundred  stocks  conveniently  arranged,  wiU  need 
little  more  attention  than  ten  managed  in  the  ordinary  way.  If 
the  situation  be  a  windy  one,  a  yard  should  be  enclosed  for  the 
purpose.  Let  the  fence,  especially  on  the  north  and  west  sides, 
be  about  seven  feet  high,  and  tight  if  practicable.  This  wiU  not 
only  be  a  great  protection  in  winter,  but  wiU  break  off  the  cold 
raw  winds  of  spring,  and  thus  save  the  Hves  of  thousands  of 
industrious  workers  that  would  otherwise  be  blown  to  the  ground 
and  perish  at  the  very  threshhold  of  their  homes.  Stands 
should  next  be  attended  to.  These  should  be  a  few  feet  away 
from  me  fence  to  give  room  for  passing  behind  the  hives.  An 
excellent  arrangement  for  stands  is  to  set  two  rows  of  short 
posts,  of  some  durable  kind  of  wood,  letting  them  project  but 
fcur  or  five  inches  above  the  ground.     Upon  these,  lay  scantling 


12^^  BEE-HOUSES. 

or  small  timber,  forming  two  parallel  lines  aboat  lourteen  inches 
•apart.  Cut  bottom-boards  twenty  inches  long  bj  fifteen  wide, 
and  lay  them  across  and  on  the  top  of  the  scantling,  observ- 
ing the  proper  spaces  between  the  hives.  .  Next,  procure  saw- 
dust or  spent  tan,  and  fill  up  under  the  scanthng  and  around 
the  posts.  This  will  effectually  keep  down  the  grass  and  weeds, 
keep  the  hives  clean,  and  prevent  the  frost  from  heaving  up  the 
posts,  A  shed  should  also  be  erected  over  the  hives,  both  for 
shade  and  shelter  from  storms.  In  whatever  style  this  is  put 
up,  it  should  be  but  five  or  six  feet  high,  and  open  all  around, 
so  as  iQ  no  way  to  interfere  with  working  around  the  hives. 
The  roof  need  be  but  four  or  five  feet  wide,  and  should  slope 
toward  the  front  of  the  hives.  If  there  be  no  water  convenient, 
a  supply  should  be  famished  the  bees  during  warm,  dry  weather. 
It  should  be  pumped  or  poured  into  a  shallow  trough  containing 
small  stones  or  shavings,  for  the  bees  to  ahght  on,  and  changed 
often. 

BEE-HOUSES. 

Of  bee-houses  we  deem  it  hardly  necessary  to  speak.  They 
are  regarded  as  unprofitable  by  our  best  apiarians.  Some  of  the 
objections  are,  cost  of  construction,  danger  of  crowding  hives 
too  close,  and  consequent  loss  of  young  queens  when  returning 
from  their  nuptial  excursions,  and  lack  of  a  free  circulation  of 
air  in  summer.  Beside,  they  afford  numerous  crevices  and 
lurking  places  for  moths,  spiders,  roaches,  and  other  ''uncleaD 
Wads." 


THE    APIARY.  127 

HOW    TO    PROCURE    BEES    TO    STOCK    AN    APIABY. 

First^  ly  Purchasing  Bees. 

Old  fftocks  in  box  hives  may  be  purchased  and  transferred 
into  movable-comb  hives.  We  prefer  those  not  over  three  oi 
four  years  old,  that  have  cast  swarms  (and  with  them  their  old 
queens)  the  year  before,  unless  the  black  queens  are  soon  to  be 
destroyed,  and  the  stocks  Itahanized. 

Smoke  and  examine  them.  If  in  the  spring,  they  will,  of 
course,  be  less  populous  than  in  the  fall,  yet  bees  should  be  clus- 
tered between  most  of  the  combs.  The  combs  should  be  free 
from  mold,  and  are  easier  transferred  if  in  broad  sheets.  The 
less  drone  comb  the  better,  and  the  more  honey  there  is,  the 
more  you  will  have  left  for  the  table  after  transferring.  We 
have  transferred  stocKs  from  large  box  hives,  giving  them  an 
abundance  of  honey,  beside  leaving  out  enough  to  amount  in 
value  to  the  purchase  price  of  the  stock.  But  if  stocks  that  are 
not  to  be  transferred,  have,  in  the  spring,  from  twelve  to  twenty 
pounds  of  honey,  they  will  usually  swarm  earlier  and  be  more 
prosperous  than  heavier  ones,  as  large  quantities  of  honey,  at 
this  season,  only  take  up  room  that  should  be  occupied  with 
young  brood.  Probably  the  best  stocks  to  purchase,  are  second 
swarms  of  the  year  before,  provided  the  hives  are  full  or  nearly 
fiill  of  comb.  Such  stocks  have  young  queens,  and  the  comb 
cells  are  the  small  size  proper  for  rearing  workers,  as  drone  comb 
is  seldom  built  during  the  first  year  of  the  queen's  existence. 
But  if  your  hives  are  left  to  be  filled  with  new  swarms,  take 
''irst  swarms  by  all  means,  being  careful  to  get,  if  possible,  those 


128  HOW    TO    PROCURE    BEES. 

from  hives  that  have  swarmed  the  year  before,  as  sucV  will  have 
vigorous  queens  but  one  year  old.  We  could  not  advise  the 
purchase  of  second  swarms  at  the  time  of  their  issue,  unless 
early  and  of  fair  size,  for  except  in  good  seasons,  many  fail  to 
secure  sufficient  stores  for  winter. 

In  purchasing  bees  care  must  be  taken  in  removing  them  home.  It 
should  be  only  early  in  the  morning  or  late  in  the  evening  if  warm,  else 
many  active  workers  will  be  lost.  A  new  swarm  having  tender  comb 
filled  with  honey  should  not  be  moved,  for  such  comb  will  be  apt  to 
break  down. 

By   Taking  Bees  on  Shares. 
Bees  are  sometimes  taken  on  shares   for  a  term  of  years,  the^ 
person  taking  them  finding  hives  and  getting  half  the  increase 
and  honey,  or  more,  when  transferred  into  movable-comb  hives 
and  Italianized. 

By  Capturing  Fugitive  Swarms. 
We  once  bought  twenty  stocks,  at  five  dollars  each,  of  a  man 
who  got  his  start  by  finding  a  swarm  hanging  to  a  bush.  Fugi- 
tive swarms  may  often  be  brought  down  by  throwing  dirt  among 
the  advance  guards,  or  by  getting  in  the  proper  position  and 
reflecting  the  rays  of  the  sun  upon  them  from  a  looking-glass. 

By  a  Safe  Increase  of  Stocks. 

After  a  few  stocks  have  been  obtained,  by  any  of  the  forego- 
ing methods,  by  far  the  cheapest  way  to  stock  an  apiary,  is  to 
increase  the  number  of  stocks  by  nucleus  swarming,  and  obtain- 
ing  bees  gratis  of  neighbors,  by  taking  up  their  condemnedi 


THE    APIARY.  12'J 

stocks  in  the  fall.     Such  swarms  are  taken  home  and  supplied 
with  frames  of  honey. 

By  using  Surplus  Honey  Stored  in  Frames. 

Our  best  apiarians  all  agree  upon  one  thing,  which  is,  that 
bees  will  store  more  honey  in  the  body  of  the  hive  than  they 
will  in  top  boxes.  For  this  reason,  and  the  advantages  in  sup- 
plying needy  stocks  for  winter,  we  prefer  to  have  a  part  of  the 
surplus  stored  in  frames.  Whenever  honey  is  taken  from  the 
hive,  it  should  be  set  into  boxes  or  hives,  and  taken  to  a  dark 
room  and  kept  until  fall,  when  some  may  be  needed  in  preparing 
stocks  for  winter.  Some  should  also  be  kept  on  hand  for  emer- 
gencies, and  the  rest  may  be  sold  or  used  in  making  new  colonies 
with  bees  obtained 

By  Taking  up  Light  Stocks  for  Neighbors. 

There  are  enough  in  almost  any  community  who  are  so  far 
behind  the  age  as  to  hive  their  late  swarms  m  box  hives  without 
uniting  them.  These  and  other  hght  stocks  they  brimstone  in 
the  fall,  unless  they  can  get  the  "bee  man  "  to  take  them  up  for 
the  bees.  Every  bee-keeper  whose  apiary  is  not  fiilly  stocked, 
and  all  who  wish  to  make  the  most  money  out  of  their  surplus 
honey,  should  prepare  to  take  as  many  such  swarms  as  they  can 
supply  with  frames  of  honey  to  winter  upon.  The  process  of 
taking  up  a  swarm  is  nearly  the  same  as  for  transferring.  Have 
a  small  box  with  a  hole  in  each  side  covered  with  wire-cloth  for 
ventilation.  As  each  comb  is  taken  out  brush  the  bees  to  the 
entrance  of  the  box,  and  when  all  are  in  close  it  up.      As  it  does 


130  HUNTING    WILD    BEES. 

not  paj  to  winter  small  swarms,  we  usually  put  two  or  mere  to- 
gether, and  if  no  queens  were  removed  all  but  one  will  be  killed. 
Tke  empty  combs  are  valuable  to  use  in  honey  boxes  and  frames 
m  the  body  of  the  hive,  and  may  be  purchased  at  the  market 
price  of  beeswax.  Fasten  them  into  frames  with  melted  rosm, 
and  use  them  to  fill  out  the  hives  after  giving  each  swarm  four 
or  five  combs  of  honey.  If  this  be  not  done  the  space  should 
be  contracted  by  inserting  a  partition  board  or  a  frame  with 
a  cloth  tacked  upon  it.  Each  swarm  should  also  have  some  bee- 
bread,  which  may  be  got  by  exchanging  with  old  stocks. 

HUNTING    WILD    BEES. 

"We  have  known  many  persons  to  get  a  start  by  lining  wild 
bees  to  their  trees,  which,  if  cut  in  spring  or  summer,  the  bees 
will  do  well.  Transfer  them  with  their  combs  into  movable 
frames,  the  same  as  from  a  common  hive.  We  have  cut  trees 
where  the  bees  entered  seventy  or  eighty  feet  from  the  ground, 
with  no  small  timber  to  break  their  momentum  in  falling,  and 
yet  saved  the  swarms.  After  a  tree  lias  been  cut  and  the  swarm 
hived,  bees  from  neighboring  swarms  will  soon  appear,  to  take 
charge  of  the  waste  honey,  and  if  more  wild  swarms  are  in  the 
vicinity,  which  is  usually  the  case,  they  are  easily  followed 
home.  By  taking  lines  from  the  different  trees  as  they  are  cut, 
several  may  often  be  found  within  the  circuit  of  a  half  mile. 
Bees  are  found  with  tne  least  trouble  in  February  or  March, 
when  they  fly  out  on  the  first  warm  days,  and  some  becoming 
chilled  fall  upon  the  snow.  Lines  taken  from  buckwheat  and 
other  flowers  should  be  carefully  marked,  and  if  not  traced  up 


THE    APIARY.  131 

at  tlie  time,  may  be  found  towards  spring  by  the  dead  bees  on 
the  snow.  "When  a  tree  is  found,  cut  upon  the  bark,  (in  the 
least  conspicuous  place,)  your  initials,  with  date  of  finding,  and 
let  it  stand  until  drones  appear  in  May,  when,  if  the  queen 
should  be  killed  in  falling  the  tree,  there  will  be  eggs  in  the 
combs  from  which  to  rear  another,  and  drones  for  her  fertihza- 
ticn.  When  t_v5  bees  are  at  work  upon  the  flowers  a  line  may 
be  started  by  tajdng  a  plate  or  a  piece  of  board,  upon  which  is 
a  small  piece  of  comb  filled  with  diluted  honey.  You  will  also 
need  a  glass  tumbler  and  a  piece  of  brown  paper  or  dark  colored 
cloth.  Having  foimd  a  bee  upon  a  flower,  place  over  it  the 
tumbler  and  leave  it  inverted  upon  the  cloth  till  the  bee  rises  to 
the  top.  Wait  till  it  quits  buzzing,  (that  it  may  not  get  be- 
smeared with  the  honey,)  then  carefully  raise  the  tumbler  and 
place  it  over  the  honey  on  the  plate,  wrapping  the  cloth  around 
the  upper  part  of  the  tumbler  to  darken  it.  The  bee  will  de- 
scend toward  the  light,  when,  coming  ui  contact  with  the  honey 
it  will  commence  loading  up.  Gently  remove  the  tumbler  while 
the  bee  is  at  work,  and  stepping  back  a  few  feet,  place  your  eye 
near  the  ground.  With  the  clear  sky  for  a  background  it  is 
easy  to  keep  sight  of  the  bee  as  it  rises,  describing  several  cir 
cles  at  first,  then  striking  a  "bee-line,"  for  home.  It  soon  re 
turns  with  many  others.  When  a  strong  hue  has  got  to  work, 
cover  the  bees  with  the  tumbler,  and  moving  them  along  the  hnf 
towards  the  tree  again  Hberate  them.  Care  must  be  taken  not 
to  go  beyond  the  tree,  else  the  bees  may  not  return.  If  the  tree 
is  now  suppased  to  oe  near,  mark  the  Hne  of  bees  by  ^  Hting  an 
assistant   sti  ik,  in  range,  a  few  stakes.     Again  cove     he  bees 


132  HUNTING    WILD    BEES. 

upon  tlie  plate  and  carry  them  a  few  rods  away  from  the  line  ia 
order  to  get  a  cross  line.  Mark  this  also  with  stakes,  then  run 
out  both  lines  by  sticking  more  stakes,  and  the  tree  will  be  found 
where  the  lines  meet.  To  find  the  place  where  the  bees  enter 
khe  tree,  walk  slowly  backward  and  forward  in  its  shadow  so  as 
to  bring  every  point  of  its  body  and  large  branches  in  range 
between  the  eye  and  the  sun.  Look  at  the  sides  of  the  tree  and 
outwardly,  just  below  the  sun,  where  the  bees  are  easily  seen  and 
appear  quite  large  from  the  reflection  of  the  sun's  rays  upon 
their  wings.  A  spy-glass  is  a  great  aid  when  the  bees  enter 
high  up  in  the  tree.  In  the  fall  or  early  spring,  when  the  trees 
are  bare  of  leaves,  it  is  easiest  following  lines  and  finding  the 
place  of  entrance  in  the  tree.  With  a  httle  honey  or  dissolved 
sugar  for  a  hait — which,  if  not  poured  into  comb,  must  contain 
some  floating  substance  to  keep  the  bees  from  drowning — lines 
are  readily  started  from  "sugar  camps,"  or  moist  places,  outlets 
of  springs,  &c.,  where  the  bees  come  for  water.  In  the  gather- 
ing season  it  is  sometimes  difficult  to  get  bees  to  work  upon  the 
bait  unless  new  honey  be  used,  taken  directly  from  the  hive. 
The  honey,  if  not  very  thin,  must  be  diluted  with  water,  else 
the  bees  may  not  leave  directly  for  home.  To  attract  the  bees, 
choose  the  middle  of  a  warm  sunny  day,  and  going  into  the  edge 
of  a  field  or  other  open  place  as  near  the  supposed  locality  of 
the  wild  swarm  as  possible,  burn  a  piece  of  dry  comb  or  bees- 
wax upon  which  a  httle  oil  of  anise  has  been  dropped.  In  half 
an  hour  or  so  the  bees  wdll  come  following  along  the  hne  of 
smoke,  where  the  bait  should  be  placed,  scented  also  with  anise 
oil  to  aid  the  bees  in  finding  it.     The  bees  from  the  richest  tree 


THE    APIARY.  133 

are  not  the  most  hungry,  but  fly  cautiously  and  angrily  about 
before  alighting.     If  the  bees  are  got  properly  to  work,  one  or 
more  swarms   may   often   be    found,  which,  if  transferred   into 
hives  will  be  a  valuable  acquisition,  but  are  too  often  thought 
lessly  destroyed  for  their  stores  alone. 

HOW    TO    TRAP    WILD    BEES    OR    ROBBERS. 

We  give  this  method  more  especially  for  pioneers  m  a  new 
country,  for  although  a  i^'^i'^  of  ^  swarm  or  swarms  of  fugitive 
or  wild  bees  may  be  easily  trapped  without  finding  the  tree,  by 
getting  them  to  work  upon  a  bait,  yet  if  other  bees  are  at  work 
within  reach  there  is  no  way  to  prevent  catching  them  also,  evpn 
though  they  belong  to  your  own  or  your  neighbors^  apiary.  Af^er 
getting  into  the  supposed  vicinity  of  wild  bees,  and  a  mile  or 
more  from  any  apiary,  get  the  bees  at  work  upon  a  bait  by 
either  of  the  methods  given.  Remove  the  cap  and  frames  from 
the  American  Hive  and  place  in  it  the  bait  containing  plenty  of 
honey,  with  the  bees  upon  it.  Close  the  entrance,  leaving  open 
the  two  fly-holes  above  it.  Set  another  hive  upon  the  top  of 
this  one,  having  first  bored  a  hole  in  its  bottom  for  the  bees  to 
pass  up  through.  This  hole  may  be  covered  with  a  shde  to  be 
worked  through  a  hole  in  the  side  of  the  hive.  The  hive  should 
also  have  wire-cloth  tacked  over  its  top  and  the  cap  left  ofi",  as 
in  moving  bees.  After  a  strong  line  of  bees  have  got  at  work, 
going  and  returning,  close  one  of  the  fly-holes  of  the  lower  hive 
and  insert  in  the  other  a  tin  tube  about  six  inches  long.  Tlie 
outer  end  of  the  tube  should  not  project  beyond  the  front  board. 


134  TRAPPING    WILD    BEES. 

and  should  fit  the  hole  to  exclude  the  Hght.  The  inner  end 
reaching  to  the  centre  of  the  hive  should  have  a  valve  of  light 
wood  or  paper  hung  to  its  upper  qide  to  cover  the  end.  Open 
the  door  to  the  observation  glaop,  and  when  enough  bees  have 
jrowded  into  the  hive  to  co-^er  the  glass,  close  the  door  and 
allow  them  to  pass  into  th**  upper  hive,  which  should  be  pre- 
pared to  receive  a  swarra  A'ith  frames  in  place,  honey  for  tood, 
and  comb  with  eggs,  ^r'-m  which  to  rear  a  queen,  unless  a  tertile 
queen  can  be  giver  it,  caged,  as  in  nucleus  swarming.  The 
piece  of  comb  wi^h  eggs  may  be  brought  in  a  small  box,  with 
bees  to  keep  them  warm  until  needed.  As  often  as  the  bees  be- 
come thick  upon  the  observation  glass,  close  the  door  and  draw 
the  sbde  from  the  hole  above,  when  the  bees  seeing  the  light 
will  iscend  into  the  upper  hive.  Should  the  bees  cease  coming 
before  a  good  swarm  is  taken,  open  the  other  fly-hole  near  the 
tube  and  let  some  out  till  a  strong  line  is  again  formed,  being 
careful  to  have  the  slide  cover  the  hole  in  the  bottom  of  the 
upper  hive  whenever  hght  is  admitted  into  the  lower  one.  A 
moderate  sized  swarm  may  often  be  taken  without  using  the 
upper  hive.  After  removing  the  hive  to  the  apiary,  let  it  stand 
closed  till  halt  an  hour  before  sunset  on  the  third  day,  when  the 
queen  must  be  uncaged  and  the  bees  allowed  to  fly.  If  no 
queen  were  given  them,  the  hive  should  be  opened  in  about  three 
weeks,  and  the  drone  comb  removed  from  the  centre,  if  there 
be  time  to  collect  stores  for  winter,  otherwise  it  should  be  leffe 
till  spring. 


THE    APIARY.  13= 


MOVING    BEES. 


Wlien  moving  stocks  short  distances,  or  only  to  aifio/ent 
stands  in  the  the  same  apiary,  it  should  be  done  during  a  cald 
spell  in  winter  or  early  spring,  before  the  bees  have  fully  taken 
their  location. 

If  they  are  to  be  moved  a  mile  or  more,  it  may  be  done,  witt 
proper  precautions,  at  any  time  of  the  year.'  The  stocks  to  be 
moved  should  be  prepared  early  m  the  morning  or  when  the 
bees  are  not  flying.  To  prepare  a  stock  in  a  common  hive,  blow 
in  a  little  smoke  and  carefully  lifting  the  hive  invert  it  upon  the 
ground.  Have  ready  tour  small  strips  ot  soft  wood  and  a  square 
piece  01  wire- cloth,  or  coarse  cotton  or  linen,  large  enough  to 
cover  the  mouth  ot  the  hive.  Spread  the  cloth  over  the  mouth 
ot  the  hive,  lay  on  the  strips,  and  tack  through  the  strips  into 
the  edges  oi  the  hive.  These  strips  will  save  tacks  and  prevent 
the  bees  crowding  out  under  the  cloth.  A  sleigh,  buggy,  or 
spring  wagon,  is  the  best  tor  moving  bees,  yet,  with  careful 
driving,  they  may  be  moved  on  a  wagon  without  springs.  Place 
the  hives  in  the  wagon  upon  a  bed  oi  straw,  keeping  them 
mouth  up  to  secure  ventilation,  as  bees  need  much  air  whenever 
disturbed.  Beside,  in  this  position  the  combs  rest,  upon  their 
attached  portions  and  are  less  liable  to  break  by  jolting.  If  the 
weather  be  very  warm  use  the  wire-cloth  to  confine  the  bees, 
and  keep  the  hives  shaded  from  the  sun.  In  most  movable- 
comb  hives,  strips  must  be  tacked  across  the  frames  to  keep 
them  from  swinging  together.  To  prepare  a  stock  in  the  Amer 
ican  Hive,  simply  remove  the  cap  and  tack   the  cloth  or  wire- 


136  TRANSFERRING. 

cloth  over  the  top.  Drive  upon  a  walk.  New  swarms  may  be 
brought  home  in  a  box  in  the  cool  of  the  evening  after  their 
issue,  but  if  hives  are  left  for  them,  and  they  are  allowed  to  start 
new  combs,  great  care  must  be  used,  if  moved  before  the  combs 
are  finished. 

TRANSFERRING  BEES  AND  COMBS  FROM  THE  BOX  HIVE. 

The  best  time  to  transfer  bees  into  the  movable-comb  hive,  is 
from  the  appearance  of  the  fruit-tree  flowers  until  swarming. 
During  this  season,  when  the  bees  are  gathering  honey,  the 
beginner  may  safely  undertake  the  operation,  as  the  bees  will 
promptly  repair  the  combs  and  often  be  more  prosperous  than 
before.  They  may  be  transferred  earher,  if  carefully  done,  or 
indeed  at  any  time,  if  the  brood  is  not  chilled  by  exposure  to 
the  cool  air.  Yet  nothing  is  gained  by  disturbing  bees  in  cold 
weather,  neither  is  it  safe  to  transfer  for  three  weeks  after  a 
stock  has  swarmed,  in  which  time  its  queen  will  generally  have 
oecome  fertile.  But  when  a  second  or  third  swarm  can  be  hived, 
and  set  close  to  the  old  stock,  it  is  then  quite  free  from  bees,  and 
may  be  transferred  with  but  little  trouble,  and  the  swarm  jarred 
from  its  liive  and  united  with  the  transferred  stock,  making  a 

(Qj 

13.  Traniferring  tools.  The  hook  is  to  loosen  the  combs  from  the  top  of  the  hive  or  gam,  whe  i  the  aid* 
Ifl  not  prieil  off.  The  other  is  made  of  a  piece  of  hoop-iron,  (2  inches  wide  by  20  inches  long)  by  grinding  ibt 
and  bevelling  like  a  chisel,  and  is  used  tc  loosen  the  combs  from  the  sides  of  tbe  hive. 

good  job.  Or  when  an  Italian  queen  is  to  be  introduced,  six  or 
aeven  days  after  a  stock  has  cast  a  first  swarm,  the  old  stock  muy 


THE    APIAKY.  137 

be  transferred  and  all  the  queen-cells  destroyed,  when  the  stock 
is  ready  for  the  Italian  queen.  The  tools  needed,  beside  those 
shown  in  the  cut,  (fig.'  13,)  are  a  hammer  and  stout  chisel  for 
prying  off  one  side  of  the  hive,  and  a  long-bladed  knife  for  cut- 
ting out  th©  combs. 

OPEBATION. 

Prepare  the  frames  in  the  new  hive,  by  prying  off  most  of  the 
comb-guides,  and  letting  down  the  cross-bars  to  suit  the  size  oi 
the  combs.  After  smoking  the  stock  to  be  transferred,  invert  it 
in  the  shade,  and,  keeping  the  bees  down  with  your  "smudge,'' 
cut  out  a  small  piece  of  comb,  containing  brood,  to  place  in  an 
€mpty  box  or  hive  upon  the  old  stand.  Also,  if  other  stocks 
are  close,  partially  cover  them  to  keep  out  returning  bees.  Our 
common  practice  (if  in  warm  weather)  is  to  drum  the  bees  from 
the  stock  to  be  transferred,  proceeding  the  same  as  in  driving  out 
a  swarm,  (page  57,)  until  the  bees  have  ascended  into  the  drum 
box,  when  it  is  removed  and  a  cloth  tacked  over  it,  and  left 
mouth  up  in  the  cool  shade  until  needed.  We  now  remove  the 
old  hive  mto  a  sheltered  place,  or,  if  flowers  are  scarce  and  other 
swarms  near  by,  into  a  shop,  out-house,  or  upon  a  clean  barn- 
floor.  Now  drive  out  the  cross-sticks,  and  with  the  hoop-iron 
sever  the  attachments  of  comb  from  the  side  of  the  hive  upon 
which  the  combs  run  nearest  parallel  and  can  be  most  easily 
removed.  Pry  off  the  side  of  the  hive  with  the  chisel,  cuttmg 
the  nails  if  necessary,  and  commence  cutting  out  the  combs. 
Have  a  box,  half  the  width  of  the  hive,  in  which  fastec  some 
drone  brood,  and  place  it  upon  the  opposite  side  of  the  hiv*  G-om 

Note.— We  have  found  it  most  convenient  to  use  fine  wire  for  f.isteuing  in  the 
poinbs. 


138  TRANSFERRING. 

which  the  combs  are  to  be  removed.  The  bees  will  gather  into 
this  as  the  work  progresses.  Lay  a  board  upon  a  barrel,  for  a 
table,  and  upon' this  your  transferring  board,  (18  inches  long  by 
14  wide,)  upon  which  two  or  three  thicknesses  of  woolen  cloth 
ehoiild  be  tacked.  As  each  comb  is  cut  out,  brush  off  the  strag 
gling  bees,  lest  they  get  besmeared,  and  lay  it  upon  rhis  cushion, 
and  upon  it  your  frame.  Mark  inside  the  frame,  and  trim  off 
the  comb  in  such  a  manner,  that  when  fitted  into  the  frame,  it 
shall  remain  in  about  the  same  position  (top  edge  up)  that  it 
occupied  in  the  old  hive,  as  many  of  the  cells  incline  upward. 
Cut  the  comb  a  trifle  large,  and  spring  the  frame  over  it.  Fit  in 
aU  pieces  of  good  worker  comh,  even  if  old  and  black.  Combs 
too  thick  to  let  the  frames  together,  should  be  shaved  off.  The 
drone  co7nh  may  be  known  by  its  large  coarse  cells,  and  unless 
placed  in  the  upper  part  of  the  outside  frames,  should  be  rejected, 
by  which  a  stock  will  often  be  rendered  very  prosperous  that 
was  no  profit  to  its  owner  before.  When  transferred  in  the 
spring,  no  more  honey  need  be  put  into  the  new  hive  than  is 
necessary  to  secure  all  the  worker  comb,  but  if  transferred  late, 
plenty  of  honey  should  be  given.  As  melted  rosin  or  bits  of 
tin  are  insufificient  for  fastening  heavy  combs  into  the  frames,  we 
use  strips  of  wood,  one-fourth  of  an  inch  thick  by  three-eighths 
wide.  One  of  these  slats  is  pushed  under  the  comb,  another 
laid  on  top,  and  the  ends  looped  together  with  twine.  Raise  the 
end  of  the  cushion-board,  to  bring  the  comb  to  an  upright  posi- 
tion, and  set  it  into  the  new  hive,  which  should  be  kept  covered 
%o  exclude  stranger  bees.  Care  must  be  taken  to  place  all  rombs 
contaimng  brood  or  eggs,  together  in  the  centre,  with  the  'Jtore 


THE    APIARY.  T   ;, 

combs  next  to  the  outside.  If  a  comb  be  too  weak  to  sustain  its 
weight,  it  must  be  divided  in  the  middle,  and  the  upper  lialf 
supported  by  a  cross-piece  tacked  within  the  frame. 

If  the  air  be  cool,  the  bees  in  the  small  box  set  upon  the  hive, 
will  be  needed  to  keep  the  brood  warm  in  the  new  hive,  and  may 
be  shaken  into  it  when  only  two  or  three  frames  have  been 
filled,  but  in  warm  weather,  we  usually  transfer  all  the  combs 
before  hiving  the  bees.  If  there  be  much  honey  in  the  combs, 
it  is  well  to  place  a  shallow  pan — made  for  the  purpose — beneath 
the  frames,  to  catch  the  drippings.  If  this  be  not  done,  clear 
off  the  bottom-board  with  a  wet  cloth.  Cover  the  upward  pas- 
sages to  keep  the  bees  below,  and  bringing  the  drum  box,  shake 
the  bees  on  a  sheet  at  the  entrance  of  the  hive,  (being  careful 
not  to  jar  the  combs,)  gently  brushing  them  until  aU  have 
entered.  Keep  the  hive  in  a  vertical  position,  and  carry  it 
steadily  (without  the  cap)  to  the  original  stand.  Blow  a  little 
smoke  under  the  box  left  to  hold  the  returning  bees,  and,  if 
Qimierous,  jar  them  upon  a  sheet  in  front  of  the  hive.  Replace 
the  cap,  contract  the  entrance,  and  shade  the  hive  from  the  sun. 

When  the  bees  are  gathering  but  little  honey,  and  there  is  no 
out-building  into  which  the  stock  may  be  taken  after  drumming 
out  the  bees,  place  a  board  upon  a  sheet,  and  upon  it  your  drum 
Dox,  and  cut  out  all  the  combs  before  transferring  them  into  the 
frames.  As  the  combs  are  removed,  one  by  one,  bnish  off  the 
bees  upon  the  sheet,  and  let  them  enter  the  drum  box,  while  an 
assistant  immediately  carries  the  comb  into  the  house,  placing  it 
upon  a  few  thicknesses  of  rags.  As  soon  as  the  bees  have 
entered  the  drum  box,  set  it  upon  the  original  stand,  and  let  it 


140  ROBBING. 

remaiu  until  the  combs  are  transferred  into  the  new  hive.  Then 
hive  the  bees  as  directed.  In  this  way,  there  is  httle  danger  of 
robbers,  or  losing  the  queen,  and  the  brood  is  not  liable  to  be 
chilled  in  the  warm  room.  Late  in  the  season,  when  the  bees 
are  rich  in  stores,  and  consequently  harder  to  control,  the  begin- 
ner may  sprinkle  a  few  grains  of  tobacco  upon  his  rags  for 
smoke,  being  careful  to  subdue  the  bees  at  the  start.  If  the 
flowers  are  not  yielding  a  supply,  feed  the  scraps  of  honey  to  the 
stock  the  next  morning,  placing  them  in  the  chamber  of  the 
hive,  as  much  honey  is  consumed  in  elaborating  wax  to  repair 
the  combs.  In  four  or  live  days  after  the  transfer,  the  tempo- 
rary slats  are  to  be  removed,  and  any  crooked  comb  straightened. 
For  convenience,  we  fasten  a  permanent  loop  to  one  end  of  a 
slat,  and  a  piece  of  wire  to  the  other  end.  The  other  slat  is  lefl 
smooth,  with  one  end  slightly  sharpened,  to  push  under  the 
comb  when  the  looped  slat  is  laid  on,  and  the  loop  slipped  over 
the  sharpened  end  of  the  under  one.  Give  a  twist  to  the  wire 
at  the  other  end,  and  the  comb  is  secured.  The  slats  are 
removed  by  drawhig  the  smooth  one  out  of  the  loop,  which 
loosens  the  other,  and  both  are  drawn  out.  These  slats  may  be 
used  many  times  over,  and  will  last  for  years. 

ROBBING. 

Early  in  the  spring  when  few  flowers  have  appeared,  and  after 
they  fail  in  the  fall,  or  indeed  in  any  time  of  scarcity,  weak  and 
queenless  swarms  are  apt  to  be  troubled  by  robbers.  Yet  the 
prudent  bee-keeper,  by  caring  for  such  stocks  in  time,  will  avoid 
the  danger.     When  flowers  are  scarce,  expose  no  sweets  near 


THE    APIARY. 


141 


:lie  apiary  while  the  bees  are  flying,  as  "prevention  is  better 
ihan  cure."  Robbers  may  be  known  by  their  buzzing  around 
the  hive  in  a  very  suspicious  manner.  Should  one  alight,  he  is 
hurled  from  the  entrance  and  frequently  receives  the  fatal  sting 
As  long  as  this  state  of  things  continues  and  the  attacked  col 
ony  is  prompt  in  defending  itself  there  is  little  danger,  but  should 
the  robbers  gather  about  the  entrance  in  considerable  numbers, 
they  may  be  dispersed,  for  the  time,  by  sprinkling  with  cold 
water  ;  but  if  the  attacked  colony  be  very  weak,  or  not  discov- 
ered until  resistance  has  ceased,  it  should  be  closed  (ventilating 
well)  and  either  taken  from  home  until  the  danger  is  past,  or 
carried  to  the  cellar  or  a  cool  room,  and  fed  diluted  sweet  for 
three  or  four  days.  When  again  placed  upon  the  stand,  the  en- 
trance should  be  carefully  guarded.  If  a  half  inch  block  be 
placed  upon  each  side  of  the  entrance  and  a  piece  of  lath  or 
shingle  laid  across,  robbers  will  be  cautious  about  entering  the 
sliallow  passage.  A  short  board  leaned  against  the  front  of  the 
hive,  13  also  an  excellent  protection.  Should  it  happen  that  a 
powerful  stock  from  a  neighboring  forest  attacks  a  colony,  re 
move  it  as  before,  and  trap  the  robbers  as  directed  for  capturing 
wild  bees  A  handful  of  long  grass  laid  over  the  entrance,  will  assist  a 
weak  stock.  The  robbers  get  entangled  in  it  and  are  more  easily  driven 
awa}'.  A  piece  of  glass  leaned  against  the  hive  over  the  entrance  will 
often  check  their  depredations.  In  either  case  it  is  best  to  contract  the 
entrance  so  as  to  admit  but  a  single  bee  at  a  time,  and  elevate  the  rear 
of  the  hive,  so  as  to  give  the  attacked  bees  the  advantage  of  an  inclined 
bottom  board. 


142  DESTROYING    MOTH-MILLERS. 


THE    MOTH-MILLER. 


We  regard  the  fear  entertained  of  the  moth-miller  as  misdi- 
rected and  more  imaginary  than  real.  As  long  as  a  ?tock  is 
strong  and  in  good  condition  it  is  safe,  but  should  it  be  suffered 
to  decline  from  over-swarming,  loss  of  queen,  or  other  cause, 
the  eggs  of  the  miller  are  allowed  to  hatch  in  the  exposed 
combs,  and  as  the  bees  die  off  from  natural  causes  the  moth- 
worms  increase,  and  (if  not  dislodged)  finally  gain  entire  pos- 
session. The  female  miller  is  much 
larger  than  the  male,  and  resembles 
in  color  a  sliver  from  a  weather 
beaten  fence  rail.  During  the  day,  is.  Male, 
she  may  often  be  found  sticking  about  the  cover 
of  the  hive.  Toward  evening,  she  will  be  flitting 
about  the  entrance,  and  if  the  combs  are  not  covered  with  bees, 
or  cracks  and  crevices  can  be  found,  or  litter  is  retained  on  the 
bottom-board,  she  will  be  at  no  loss  for  a  place  to  deposit  her 
eggs  within  the  hive.  There  can  be  no  "moth-proof"  hive ;  but 
if  the  entrance  be  on  one  side  only,  and  the  bottom-board  is  in- 
chned,  the  bees  have  all  the  protection  against  these  intruders 
that  a  hive  can  afford.  Moth-proof  hives  (so  called)  are  owned 
either  by  persons  of  httle  information,  or  sold  to  such  by  un- 
principled venders,  as  well  informed  bee-keepers  know  how  to 
prevent  the  ravages  of  the  moth,  and  also  know  that  in  warm 
weather,  more  or  less  moth  eggs  are  present  in  all  the  combs. 
Hence,  a  real  moth-proof  hive  must  also  exclude  the  bees.  Dur- 
ing the  summer  months,  if  a  mixture  of  vinegar  and  water,  well 


THE    APIABY.  143 

sweetened,  be  placed  at  night  among  the  hives,  in  while  dishes, 
many  millers  will  be  drowned.  Moth  "traps"  form  the  basis  of 
a  considerable  trade.  Some  of  these  might  be  well  enough  ii 
thej  were  empted  and  the  worms  destroyed  every  week;  but 
as  they  are  usually  neglected,  they  become  "moth  nurseries," 
instead  of  traps. 

Worms  may  be  trapped  early  in  the  season,  by  laying  pieces 
of  shingle  or  spHt  elder,  the  hollowing  side  down,  upon  the  bot- 
tom-board. The  worms  will  retreat  under  these  to  spin  their 
cocoons,  and  must  be  destroyed  once  or  twice  a  week,  or  they 
"take  unto  themselves  wings  and  fly  away."  The  moth  is  less 
troublesome  in  large  apiaries.  The  sprightly  httle  wren,  if  en- 
couraged to  build  its  nest  near  the  hives,  will  destroy  myriads 
of  worms  and  insects.  They  are  easily  attracted,  by  putting  up 
boxes  made  three  inches  square,  with  an  inch  and  a  half  hole 
for  an  entrance. 

ANTS    AND    OTHER    VERMIN. 

Ants  will  frequently  get  inio  the  chamber  of  the  hive  if  not 
properly  constructed,  and  whenever  disturbed  are  very  annoying 
to  both  the  bees  and  the  keeper.  To  banish  thein  from  the  hive 
start  them  out  with  smoke  and  brush  a  httle  spirits  of  turpen- 
tine where  they  "most  do  congregate,"  and  should  they  have  a 
hillock  near  treat  it  a  few  times  to  warm  soapsuds,  and  the  ants 
wiJl.bid  you  a  long  adieu.  If  spirits  of  turpentine  be  not  at 
hand,  the  leaves  of  catnip,  tansy  or  black  walnut,  placed  in  their 
"retreats,"  will  usually  drive  them  away.  Spiders  often  spin 
their  webs  about  the  hives  and  ensnare  some  bees.     They  should 


144  PRESERVING    HONEY    COMBS 

beliunted  out  and  destroyed.  The  large  mother  wasps  appear. 
Bingly  early  in  the  spring  to  start  their  nests,  and  each,  if  not 
prevented,  is  destined  to  be  the  parent  of  a  little  swarm.  They 
often  harass  the  bees,  and  should  have  no  quarter.  At  the  ap- 
proach of  winter,  the  mice  may  seek  a  nesting  place  in  the  warm 
hive.  If  there  are  holes  large  enough  to  admit  them,  they 
should  be  contracted  or  covered  with  wire-cloth. 

TO  PRESERVE  HONEY  COMBS  FROM  THE  MOTH-WORM. 

As  long  as  honey  combs  remain  under  the  protecting  care  of 
the  bees,  they  are  secure,  but  if  removed  from  the  hive  in  the 
heat  of  summer,  the  eggs  of  the  moth  .already  upon  them  will 
hatch,  unless  prevented,  and  finally  destroy  them.  How  the 
eggs  get  there,  is  a  question.  One  theory  is,  that  they  are 
deposited  by  the  miller  upon  the  bottom-board  and  about  the  en- 
trance, and  occasionally  adhering  to  the  feet  or  legs  of  the  bees, 
are  thus  carried  among  the  combs.  The  other  is,  that  the  miller 
is  allowed  at  times  to  visit  every  part  of  the  hive.  One  thing 
is  certain.  If  in  summer,  we  drive  out  all  the  bees  and  close 
the  hive  to  exclude  the  miller,  hundreds  of  worms  will  be  de- 
veloped, in  from  one  to  three  weeks,  acording  to  the  tempera- 
ture. The  same  is  sometimes  true  of  honey  in  the  surplus  boxes, 
though  in  a  lesser  degree.  When  removed  early  in  the  season, 
if  to  be  kept  in  the  boxes,  it  should  be  noticed  frequently,  «and 
if  small  hues  of  a  fine  white  powder  are  seen  upon  any  of  the 
combs,  expose  them  to  the  fumes  of  brimstone.  To  do  this^ 
piepare  a  match  by  dipping  the  end  of  a  cotton  rag  into  jneltea 


THE    AFlAh  145 

brimstone,  and  when  no  arrangement  for  smoking  has  been  made 
in  the  honey  room,  take  a  store  box  or  flour  barrel,  and  leaving 
a  cavity  at  the  lower  end  to  recei\re  the  match,  put  in  the  boxes 
in  such  a  manner  that  the  smoke  can  enter  them,  and  cover 
the  top  to  confine  the  smoke.  When  separated  from  the  comba 
by  straining,  honey  is  secure  from  the  moth,  its  food  being  wax, 
and  not  honey.  Strained  honey  may  be  kept  from  graining,  by 
heating  to  the  boiling  point,  (setting  the  vessel  in  boihng  water, 
to  prevent  burning,)  and  keeping  it  in  a  dark  room.  Empty 
combs,  unless  the  moth  eggs  have  been  destroyed  by  freezing, 
should  be  examined  occasionally,  and  if  traces  of  worms  can 
be  seen,  smoke  them  also,  being  careful  afterwards  that  millera 
do  not  get  to  them. 

WINTERING    BEES. 

In  regions  where  the  ice  garb  of  winter  remains  unbroken 
from  fall  till  spring,  the  consumption  of  food  may  be  lessened, 
and  the  safety  of  hght  stocks  better  secured  by  wintering  them 
in  dry  cellars,  or  even  in  houses.  But  in  this  changeable  climate, 
where  the  bees  are  frequently  aroused  to  activity  by  summer 
weather  in  the  middle  of  winter,  and  impelled  to  fly  out  to  dis- 
charge their  feces,  it  is  not  so  necessary  to  guard  against  cold,  as 
it  is  against  the  great  consumption  of  honey  in  warm  weather, 
or  the  filth  and  disease  caused  by  confining  the  bees  where  they 
can  be  afi'ected  by  changes  of  temperature  in  the  atmosphere. 
Hence,  unless  a  dai-k^  dry  cellar  can  be  had,  the  mass  of  bee- 
keepers at  least,  will  succeed  best  by  properly  preparing  thei* 
stocks,  and  leaving  tliem  upon  their  summer  stands. 


146  WINTERING    BEES. 


WINTERING    IN    THE    OPEN    AIR. 


In  October,  the  exact  condition  of  all  the  stocks  should  be 
ascertained,  both  as  to  their  strength,  and  their  supply  of  stores 
for  winter.  If  any  are  found  lacking  in  both  these  points,  join 
two  together,  or  strengthen  them  with  bees  obtained  from  neigh* 
bors,  (page  88,)  and  supply  them  with  extra  food.  To  en- 
sure the  safety  of  the  stocks,  tiU  flowers  bloom  in  spring,  each 
should  have  twenty-five  pounds  of  honey.  With  a  little  prac 
tice,  the  amount  of  stores  may  be  very  nearly  determined  by 
inspection,  or  simply  by  removing  the  cap  and  hfting  the  hive 
from  the  stand.  However,  if  the  combs  are  more  than  one  year 
old,  there  is  much  hability  of  being  deceived,  when  judging  by 
lifting  or  weighing  the  hive.  The  reasons  are,  that  old  combs 
are  heavier  than  new,  and  often  contain  large  quantities  of  bee- 
bread.  Still,  the  experienced  bee-keeper  wiU  seldom  err  in  his 
estimate  of  winter  supplies.  Should  any  lack  stores,  give  them 
reserved  frames  of  sealed  honey,  or  if  this  cannot  be  done,  and 
other  stocks  are  very  heavy,  exchange  a  frame  with  each.  If 
the  lower  part  of  such  combs  are  empty,  they  may  be  placed 
near  the  centre  of  the  needy  stocks,  as  there  should  be  honey 
directly  above  the  bees ;  but  if  full,  place  them  a  little  to  one 
side  of  the  cluster,  for  the  reason  that  bees  need  empty  cells  to 
winter  m.  The  comb  in  each  frame  should  have  an  inch  hole 
cut  through  it,  four  or  five  inches  fi*om  the  top,  to  enable  the 
bees,  in  extreme  cold  weather,  to  reach  the  stores  in  the  outside 
combs  without  danger  of  freezing,  by  leaving  the  cluster  to 
crawl  around  the  edge  of  the  frame. 


THE    APIARY 


147 


Over  the  summer  quilt  place  a  woolen  quilt  or  piece  of  carpet  or 
other  woolen  material,  and  abov^e  this  place  an  old  bag  filled  with  chafif 
(or  other  absorbing  material)  to  absorb  the  moisture  arising  from  the 
hive.  It  is  necessary  to  secure  upward  ventilation  through  the  holes 
near  the  top  of  the  upper  box  without  a    draft. 

This  v^ill  absorb  the  moisture  generated  by  the  bees,  thus 
keeping  the  combs  dry  and  free  from  frost,  while  it  permits  the 
foul  air  to  pass  off  so  gradually  that  cold  currents  within  the 
hive  are  avoided.  Stocks  standing  in  exposed  situations,  may 
be  greatly  benefited  by  enclosing  the  hives  (except  the  entrances) 
with  caps  made  of  flags  or  rye  straw,  being  careful  to  exclude 
the  mice.  Set  up  a  broad  board  to  shade  the  hive,  and  especially 
the  entrance,  during  the  middle  part  of  the  day.  If  this  be 
done,  the  bees  will  seldom  leave  the  hive  when  the  air  is  cool 
enough  to  chill  them.  When  a  judicious  method  of  swarming 
has  been  pursued,  and  the  colonies  properly  cared  for,  they 
should  be  populous  and  well  provisioned  for  winter,  requiring 
little  trouble  in  preparing,  or  risk  in  keeping  them  safely  through 
till  spring.  Such  stocks,  if  shielded  from  the  piercing  wintrj 
winda,  and  properly  ventilated,  will  pass  a  Siberian  winter  unin- 
jured. Bees  should  not  be  disturbed  during  winter,  except  at 
the  close  of  every  long  spell  of  cold  weather ;  when,  if  the  air 
be  warm  enough  for  them  to  fly  without  being  chilled,  open  all 
the  entrances  to  their  fall  capacity,  allowing  the  rays  of  the  sun 
to  strike  the  ahghting  board,  when  the  bees  will  fiy  out,  void 
their  feces  and  return,  without  loss,  to  the  hive. 


J  43  "WINTEEING. 

This  is  the  greatest  difl&culty  in  northern  bee-keeping.  In  the  far 
South  bees  often  gather  pollen  and  honey,  at  times  through  the  winter 
months.  In  such  climates  there  is  but  little  danger  of  loss  in  winter, 
unless  their  stores  are  almost  exhausted  when  the  cold  season  comes. 
But  in  the  North,  and  especially  in  the  far  North,  the  bees  gather  noth- 
ing from  the  fields  for  fully  six  months.  Many  experiments  in  winter- 
ing have  been  made,  within  the  past  twenty  years.  At  that  time,  and 
even  later,,  the  principal  writers  recommended  wintering  in  cellars,  but 
more  recently  the  tendency  everywhere,  except  in  the  far  north,  where 
continued  uninterrupted  cold  weather  lasts  a  long  time,  has  been 
towards  wintering  on  the  summer  stands. 

Throughout  the  Middle  and  Southern  States  we  recommend  only  this 
kind  of  wintering.  If  hives  are  properly  prepared  with  gentle  upward 
ventilation,  absorbing  material,  a  supply  of  young  bees,  sufficient  good 
stores,  and  protected  from  the  cold  winds  and  unseasonable  sunny  days, 
there  need  be  little  fear  in  wintering . 

PEEPAEATION   FOB   WINTEE. 

This  should  be  begun  before  the  last  honey  season  is  over.  See  that 
every  colony  has  a  good  young  fertile  queen.  Unite  weak  and  queen- 
less  stocks.  See  that  each  hive  has  from  twenty  to  thirty  pounds  of 
good  honey,  with  combs,  which  also  contain  bee-bread,  for  rearing 
young  bees.  If  later  stores  have  been  gathered  from  honey-dew,  cider 
mills,  refuse  from  sugar  refineries,  or  if  the  fall  honey  is  very  acid,  they 
should  be  extracted,  and  the  hives  supplied  with  combs  of  good  dark 
honey,  set  aside  in  summer  with  the  honey  from  unsealed  boxes,  or 
they  should  be  fed  with  sugar  syrup.  Give  in  such  cases  from  five  to 
ten  pounds  of  sugar  to  each  colony. 

Make  a  syrup,  putting  one  part  of  water,  by  measure,  to  two  parts  of 


THE  APIAEY.  149 

fiugar ;  let  it  come  to  a  boil,  to  be  siire  that  all  has  desolved,  and  feed  it 
Id  suitable  feeders  in  the  cap.  Give  it  to  them  warm.  Any  kind  of  a 
good  feeder,  with  floats  to  prevent  drowning,  will  ans\>er. 

A  good  way  is  to  fill  quart  fruit  jars  with  the  syrup,  tie  over  the  mouth 
A  piece  of  cheese  cloth,  or  other  strong  thin  material,  and  invert  directly 
-on  the  top  bars  of  the  broodnest;  packing  the  quilts  around  well,  to 
keep  in  the  heat.  Sometimes  two  or  three  jars  will  be  drained  in  a 
single  night.  If  there  is  sufficient  brood  in  the  hive,  feed  rapidly,  so 
as  not  to  induce  too  rapid  breeding.  But  if  there  is  little  or  no  brood 
present,  the  feeding  should  be  more  slowly,  to  induce  breeding,  for  a 
plenty  of  young  hees  is  one  of  the  important  elements  in  successful 
wintering.  In  sections  where  there  is  little  or  no  fall  honey  to  stimulate 
the  queen,  we  wouid  advise  extracting  the  honey,  from  at  least  a  few  of 
the  central  frames,  and  stimulate  so  as  to  go  into  winter  quarters 
with  a  fine  supply  of  young  bees,  as  well  as  a  plentiful  supply 
of  good  stores.  There  is  no  better  winter  food  than  syrup  made  from 
nice  A  sugar.  At  this  season  out  door  feeding  must  not  be  practiced, 
because  the  stronger  colonies,  which  least  need  it,  will  get  1  he  most,  and 
often  so  fill  up  the  brood  nest,  that  there  is  not  a  good  nest  of  empty 
combs  in  which  to  begin  the  winter. 

This  feeding,  when  practiced,  should  be  completed  before  cold 
weather  sets  in,  in  earnest.  October  is  the  time  to  complete  it.  If  the 
hives  are  to  be  wintered  indoors,  the  cellar  or  winter  house  should  be 
dark,  dry,  of  equable  temperature,  not  lower  than  forty,  nor  greater 
than  sixty  degrees.  A  number  of  colonies  in  the  same  room,  will  help 
to  keep  up  the  warmth  of  the  cellar.  A  small  ventilation  shaft,  opening 
■without,  with  a  damper  to  regulate  the  draft,  will  give  ventilation  in 
the  room.  If  in  a  cellar,  under  a  dweUing,  a  small  pipe  from  the  cellar* 
•connected  with  the  pipe  of  a  stove  in  use,   will  keep  the  air  dry  and 


150  WINTEEINQ. 

pure.  The  hives  should  be  moved  into  the  cellar  with  great  care,  to 
prevent  jarring,  so  soon  as  cold  weather  sets  in,  in  earnest,  and  remain 
until  it  is  well  over,  even  to  May,  in  very  cold  latitudes,  though  they 
should  be  set  out,  a  few  at  a  time,  for  a  fly  on  some  warm  day  in  mid- 
winter. They  should  not  be  taken  permanently  from  such  indoor  wint- 
ing  places,  before  the  very  bleak  wintry  winds  are  over.  If  a  mistake 
is  made,  and  they  are  set  out,  before  severe  weather  is  over,  it  is,  we 
believe,  best  to  return  them  to  their  quarters,  if  it  should  suddenly  blow 
up  severely  cold,  as  much  loss  is  apt  to  ensue. 

When  wintered  in  cellars,  much  upward  ventilation  should  be  allowed. 
The  cap  may  be  left  ofl",  and  a  piece  of  fine  wire-cloth  tacked  on,  so  as 
to  prevent  the  depredations  of  mice .  On  this,  quilts,  or  boards  may  be 
laid,  covering  partially,  according  to  the  strength  of  the  colony.  Strong 
colonies  require  more,  and  weak  ones  less  ventilation. 

Evidently  this  mode  of  wintering  requires  a  great  deal  of  labor  and 
timely  attention .  Sometimes  vnih  the  best  care  the  bees  will  become 
restless,  we  know  not  why,  and  will  always  need  a  fly  during  winter; 
many  people  have  no  such  suitable  cellar,  and  they  are  expensive  if 
made,  or  they  iijay  not  well  answer  the  purpose,  owing  to  the  nature  of 
the  soil.  For  these  reasons,  and  the  ease  of  wintering  on  su  mmer  stands, 
almost  everywhere  in  onr  country,  except,  perhaps,  in  the  extreme 
northern  sections,  we  recommend  generally  to  winter  on  summer  stands- 
In  rather  northern  climates  we  recommend  air  chambers  around  the 
bees,  to  prevent  sudden  changes  in  the  weather.  After  hives  are  pre- 
pared with  stores,  and  otherwise  for  winter,  we  recommend  that  they 
be  packed  for  winter  in  this  way :  Reduce  the  frames  to  six  or  eight, 
according  to  size,  for  bees  winter  better  when  the  chamber  is  not  too 
large  for  the  size  of  the  colony.     Remember  this  fact,  in  preparing  for 


THE    APIAKT.  151 

•winter,  that  bees  can  stand  cold,  but  that  they  cannot  stand  dampness 
Arrange  so  that  the  moisture,  generated  by  the  bees,  can  gently  escape 
upwards,  through  some  absorbing  material,  -without  giving  a  cold  draft 
of  air.  This  condition  is  attained  in  several  ways  of  packing,  when 
holes  are  made  in  each  end  of  the  upper  chamber,  to  allow  ventilation. 
It  is  attained  by  placing  chaff  cushions  at  the  sides  and  over  the  brood 
nest;  by  putting  over  the  hive  an  extra  box,  packing  between  the  two 
with  absorbing  material,  or  by  placing  above  the  quilt  two  or  three 
thickness  of  cotton  batting,  or  a  bag  of  chaff,  saw  dust,  or  something 
of  the  kind.  We  would  recommend  that  the  absorbing  material  used 
be  always  in  a  bag,  to  prevent  littering  up  the  hive,  unless  pads  of  cot- 
ton batting  are  used.  Perhaps,  nothing  is  better  than  this.  The  honey 
board  above  confines  the  moisture  so  much  to  the  hive  as  to  endanger 
it  in  cold  climates.  A  good  cushion  for  both  sides  and  top  of  a  hive,  is 
made  as  follows ;  Take  a  bag,  a  little  wider  than  the  depth  of  the  hive, 
from  front  to  rear,  fill  it  with  chaff  or  cut  straw,  so  as  to  be  two  inches 
thick  all  over.  Tack  a  few  stitches  here  and  there,  as  in  a  mattress, 
to  hold  the  chaff  in  place.  This  may  be  of  proper  length  simply  to  fit 
tightly  in  the  upper  box,  or  longer,  so  as  to  reach  the  bottom  on  each 
side  of  the  frames  over  division  boards.  The  latter  is  preferable  in 
rather  cold  climates,  or  where  wide  hives  are  used.  Contract  the  en 
trance  and  turn  up  the  alighting  board,  to  keep  the  sunshine  from  the 
entrance,  so  that  it  may  not  tempt  them  from  the  hive,  when  it  is  too 
cool  for  them  to  fly  freely.  The  entrance  should  never  be  over  a  quart- 
er of  an  inch  deep,  so  as  to  check  mice.  This  can  be  supplemented 
with  auger  holes  above,  which  for  winter  can  be  stopped  with  corks. 
Thus  ari-anging  for  winter  is  less  trouble  than  moving  into  cellars,  and 
the  hives  are  always  in  place.    Turn  do^\Ti  the  board  from  the  front  a 


152  WINTEEDIG. 

few  warm  days,  or  open  from  the  caps,  if  snow  is  Seep,  and  the  bees 
get  a  good  fly  naturally,  without  mixing  up,  as  they  often  do  when  set  out 
for  a  fly.  The  labor  of  moving  out,  and  returning  several  hives  to  the 
cellar,  is  considerable,  and  the  warm  day  may  be  most  inopportune, — 
just  when  some  other  business  is  pressing,  and  the  bees  must  be  neglect- 
ed. There  is  less  danger  from  ' '  spring  dwindling, "  and  on  the  whole  we 
would  recommend  out  door  wintering.  It  is  well  always  to  have  the  hive 
on  the  south-east  side  of  a  good  evergreen  hedge,  or  high,  tight  board 
fence  to  break  the  force  of  the  cold  penetrating  winds.  If  convenient, 
extra  coverings  for  winter  are  useful ;  but  they  should  be  such  as  are 
easily  removed  as  spring  opens,  so  as  to  permit  the  rays  of  the  sun  to 
shine  directly  on  the  hive  in  April  and  May,  to  promote  breeding. 

There  should,  by  no  means,  be  permitted  any  cracks  in  the  cover  or 
sides  of  hives  through  which  rain  or  wet  may  beat  or  drive.  Dryness 
is  an  essential  condition,  else  combs  will  mould,  and  conduce  towards 
dysentery,  whether  in  the  cellar  or  on  the  summer  stand. 

In  preparing  for  winter,  half  inch  holes  sliGuld  be  cut  out  in  the 
centre  of  each  comb,  two  or  three  inches  below  the  top  bar,  and  one  or 
two  strips  laid  across  top  of  the  frames,  under  the  quilt,  to  procure  free 
passage  of  the  bees  from  one  comb  to  another,  in  very  cold  weather. 
In  the  North  this  is  very  essential,  but  not  so  important  in  the  South. 
Whether  chaff  cushions,  straw,  thick  quilts  of  batting  or  other  absorb- 
ing material  be  used,  the  quilt  should  be  put  over  the  bees  first  and  the 
packing  afterwards.  A  plain  piece  of  ducking  is  perhaps  as  good  cloth 
as  any  other  for  this  use,  as  bees  will  gnaw  it  less  than  any  other,  except 
enameled  cloth,  which  is  both  more  expensive,  and  difficult  to  fold  down 
close  and  tight  to  the  sides  of  the  hive.  In  Spring  the  absorbing  mate- 
rial should  be  replaced  by  some  warmer  material,  to  better  confine 
the  heat. 


THE  APIABT.  j^g 


FEEDIXG  BEES. 


Feeding  bees  differs  materially  from  feeding  other  livestock.  It  is 
not  absolutely  necessary  to  feed  at  all,  unless  when  stores  fail  in  winter 
or  early  spring.  Then  no  liquid  food  should  be  used.  If  no  frames  of 
sealed  honey  are  on  hand  to  give  a  needy  colony,  candy  is  the  next  best 
food  for  this  season  of  the  year.  Sticks  of  plain  white  or  clear  sugar 
candy,  thurst  down  between  the  combs,  among  the  bees,  before  their 
honey  is  quite  exhausted,  will  greatly  lengthen  out  their  stores.  A  half 
pound  miay  be  given  at  a  time.  It  is  cheap  food,  as  a  pound  will  last 
from  four  to  six  weeks.  If  a  colony  alive  the  previous  day  is  found 
when  most  of  the  bees  are  apparently  dead,  they  can  usually  be  revived 
by  sprinkling  them  with  warm  diluted  sweets,  and  letting  the  hive  stand 
a  few  hours  in  a  warm  room.  They  should  then  be  given  frames  of 
honey  or  else  fed.  Box  honey  placed  directly  on  the  frames  and  cover- 
ed well  with  woolen  material  will  be  appropriated  in  the  coldest  weather 
and  save  the  colony. 

It  is  always  best  to  see  that  each  hive  has  in  the  fall,  sufficient  stores 
for  wintering,  varying  from  twenty  to  thirty-five  pounds  of  honey,  ac. 
cording  to  climate  or  mode  of  wintering.  Kather  more  honey  is  con- 
sumed on  the  summer  stands,  than  if  wintered  in  the  cellar.  It  is  well 
to  set  away  some  full  combs  of  the  dark  and  least  salable  honey  in  the 
summer  to  give  to  weak  stocks  in  the  fall.  But  if  this  has  been  omitted, 
they  should  be  fed  sufficient  stores  for  winter,  before  it  gets  too  cold.  A 
syrup  made  of  two  parts  by  measure  of  A  sugar,  and  one  of  water;  fed 
warm  in  the  cap  each  evening  will  be  carried  down  very  rapidly.  Feed 
as  fast  as  possible,  to  prevent  tco  much  breeding,  and  to  prevent  rob- 
bing. Feed  regularly  until  the  necessary  amount  is  given.  Stop  the 
holes  in  the  caps  whilst  feeding,  especially  if  honey  is  used.  Contract  the 
entrance,  and  be  careful  not  to  drop  honey  or  syrup  about  the  hive,  as 


154:  FEOBING  BEES. 

much  loss  is  sustained  when  bees  rob  and  kill  each  other.  This  caution 
is  necessary  whenever  feeding  is  necessarj'.  In  spring  all  colonies 
should  be  contracted  by  close  fitting  division  boards ;  the  combs  being 
removed,  exce^Dt  so  many  as  the  bees  cover  well  Every  few  days  insert 
an  empty  comb  or  sheet  of  oomb-foundation  in  the  centre  of  the  brood- 
nest.  Hives  are  thus  built  up  very  rapidly.  If  weak,  or  stores  are  in^ 
sufQceint,  they  should  be  stimulated  by  regular  feeding  in  addition.  If 
there  is  present  a  i^lenty  of  sealed  honey,  they  are  stimulated  in  using- 
it,  if  you  shave  oS  the  caps  a  little  at  a  time,  from  one  of  the  outside 
combs.  If  stores  are  scarce,  they  should  be  stimulated  by  feeding  thin 
sugar  syrup,  in  small  auger  hole  feeders,  placed  under  the  quilt,  and 
filled  by  raising  the  flap  from  the  hole  in  the  quilt.  They  are  thus 
stimulated  to  regular  brood-rearing,  when  they  would  not  enter  feeders 
placed  above  the  quilt  for  two  or  three  days,  in  a  cold  spell.  Good 
sugar  syrup  is  much  better  than  honey  at  this  season  of  the  year,  be- 
cause it  does  not  so  much  induce  robbing,  whereby  many  bees  are  killed 
which  can  be  illy  spared  at  this  important  season.  But  we  advise  cau- 
tion in  the  use  of  cheap  grape  sugar,  because  it  often  contains  so  much 
sulphuric  acid  as  to  ruin  the  bees.  When  bees  fly  before  natural  pollen 
is  gathered,  they  should  be  fed  with  flour,  as  a  substitute. 

If  no  water  is  near,  bees  should,  in  summer,  be  watered  regularly 
every  day.  A  shallow  trough  with  pebbles  answers  well.  A  good  way 
is  to  invert  large  glass  jars  in  plates.  Only  a  small  amount  of  water 
escapes  around  the  mouth,  and  this  is  renewed  as  the  bees  suck  it  up. 
The  glass  is  convenient  to  see  the  depth  of  water. 

During  honey  droughts  in  summer,  but  little  brood  is  reared,  unles& 
the  queen  is  stimulated  to  activity  by  regular  feeding.  But  if  systematic- 
feeding  is  pursued,  especially  with  weak  swarms,  the  hives  are  filled 


THE   APIABf. 


155 


with  young  strong  bees  when  the  next  harvest  opens,  and  are  enabled  to 
secure  much  more  surplus  honey  than  if  neglected. 


In  warm  weather,  almost  any  kind  of  a  feeder,  placed  in  the  cap,  with 
floats,  to  prevent  drowning,  will  suffice.  Good  floats  are  ma^e  of  thin 
boards,  one-half  inch  less  in  size  than  the  vessel.  Nail  a  piece  across 
the  centre  to  prevent  split :ing,  and  with  a  coarse  saw,  slit  the  board  in 
narrow  strips,  from  each  end  to  the  cross  piece.  Three  things  are  speci- 
ally desirable  in  a  feeder:  That  they  be  accessible  for  bees,  without 
leaving  an  unnecessary  hole  into  the  broodnest,  which  permits  heat  to 
escape;  that  they  be  filled  and  examined,  without  the  escape  of  a  bee; 
and,  that  they  be  tight  to  prevent  leaking. 

Tin  vessels  of  various  kinds,  have  been  made.  These  hold  the  honey 
well,  but  at  times  bees  will  not  readily  enter  the  cold  metal,  when  feed- 
ing is  desirable.  Boxes  of  various  kinds  have  been  made,  with  entrances 
from  below,  and  close  glass  tops.  These  answer  a  good  purpose. 
Frames  or  boxes  with  duck  cloth  bags,  are  sometimes  used,  but  they 
are  in  the  way  in  the  broodnest,  and  if  used  above,  the  syrup  often  crys- 
talizes  in  the  cloth  and  makes  it  stiff.  The  simplest  feeders  are  made 
with  the  auger.  Take  a  strip  of  two-inch  board,  six  inches  wide  and 
with  a  one  and  a  half  inch  centre  bit  bore  two  auger  holes  three-fourths 
of  an  inch  apart,  from  one  edge  nearly  through  to  the  other.  Near  the 
back  end,  bore  with  the  same  auger,  directly  in  the  division  between, 
the  two  nearly  through.  This  connects  the  two  and  makes  a  hole  for 
pouring  m  the  food  from  the  top.  Tack  in  it  a  wire  cup,  made  by  bend- 
ing over  the  thumb  a  piece  of  wire  cloth,  to  keep  back  the  bees  when, 
feeding.  On  this  division  near  to  the  front,  bore  with  the  same  auger 
holes  one-half  inch  deep,  side  by  side,  nearly  to  the  front,  and  in  the 


25g  FEEDERS. 

centre  of  the  division,  bore  three-eight  inch  auger  holes  through  to  the 
bottom  for  entrances.  Tack  four  strips  on  the  bottom,  to  give  entrance 
to  these,  and  a  strip  over  the  auger  holes  in  the  edge,  and  it  is  done. 
It  may  beset  directly  over  the  hole  in  the  quilt,  and  apiece  of  glass  laid 
over  the  entrances.  Other  holes  may  be  made  side  by  side,  and  the 
feeder  as  large  as  desired.  The  entrances  need  be  only  between  every 
other  hole.  If  preferred  the  entrances  can  be  made  on  each  edge  of  the 
block,  at  the  upper  edge  of  the  auger  holes.  In  this  case  the  strip  to 
cover  the  auger  holes  must  be  narrowed  to  suit.  Such  entrances  are 
best  for  feeders  made  with  three-fourths  inch  augers,  in  inch  boards  to 
place  directly  on  the  frames,  under  the  quilt,  for  early  spring  feeding. 
As  many  holes  as  desired  may  be  made  side  by  side,  and  connected  by 
the  division  being  bored  away  from  above.  A  piece  of  glass  laid  over 
these  holes,  will  give  a  view  of  the  interior.  Simple,  cheap,  and  excel- 
lent feeders,  can  thus  be  easily  made,  which  will  answer  all  the  pur- 
poses of  the  apiary. 

We  have  lately  seen  a  very  valuable  feeder,  made  by  J.  M-  Shuck,  of 
Des  Moines,  Iowa.  It  consists  of  a  block  of  wood  two  inches  square 
and  thick,  and  as  long  as  the  frame,  three  deep  grooves  run  from  end 
to  end.  The  end  pieces  close  the  ends  of  these  grooves  and  extend  one 
half  an  inch  above.  A  top  bar  is  put  on  and  it  sits  in  the  hive  like  a 
frame.  It  is  filled  by  a  wire  cloth  thimble  from  the  top  and  this  closed 
with  a  piece  of  tin,  which  turns  on  a  nail. 

PEOrns    OF   BEE-KEEPING. 

Bees  are  kept  for  profit,  pleasure,  or  recreation;  and  as  a 
means    of    promoting    or    regaining    health.       Unlike     other    live 


THE    APIA  BY.  157 

stock,  thej  are  self-supporting.  They  not  only  provide  thuir 
own  food,  but  with  Httle  care,  will  store  a  large  surplus  ol  their 
delicious  product. 

How  much  easier  it  is  to  give  bees  the  little  attention  needed> 
than  the  trouble  and  expense  of  caring  for  cattle,  pigs,^and  sheep, 
three  times  a  day,  which  no  good  farmer  complains  of.  It  is 
indeed  strange,  that  any  person,  occupying  a  rood  of  "mother 
earth,"  should  neglect  so  rich  a  source  of  profitable  enjoyment. 
Could  our  young  men  and  young  ladies,  who  now  spend  hours 
in  idleness  ot  vain  amusements,  be  induced  to  purchase  a  swarm 
or  two  of  bees,  and  give  them  the  Uttle  attention  needed,  it 
would  not  only  prove  highly  remunerative,  but  would  lead  them 
into  habits  of  industry  and  thoughtfulness,  and  fit  them  for  bet- 
ter citizens.  By  the  introduction  of  improved  hives,  a  fresh 
interest  has  been  awakened  in  this  branch  of  rural  economy,  and 
with  honey  at  present  prices,  there  would  undoubtedly  be  a 
general  rush  into  bee-keeping,  were  it  not  for  the  fear  of  stings, 
and  a  vague  belief  that  "luck"  has  something  to  do  with 
successful  bee  management.  A  little  practical  knowledge  with 
regard  to  the  nature  of  bees,  will  enable  any  one  to  obtain  per- 
fect control  over  them,  and  will  also  open  his  eyes  to  the  fact, 
that,  with  properly  constructed  movable-comb  hives,  success  in 
bee-keeping  is  not  left  to  "luck"  or  "chance,"  but  depends  upon 
the  observance  of  simple  rules  and  regulations.  With  such 
hives,  the  bee-keeper  is  enabled  to  ascertain  the  exact  condition 
of  a  stock  at  any  time,  and  thus  remedy  defects,  or  easily  remove 
any  comb  in  the  hive  for  any  purpose  whatever. 

A  few  stocks  of  bees  are  oflen  entirely  neglected,  and  conse- 
quently less  profitable,  while  a  larger  collection  (needing  little 


158  PROFITS    OF    THE    APIARY. 

more  care)  receive  proper  attention ;  when  the  profits,  as  from 
farm  products,  will  mainly  depend  upon  the  season. 

"The  intelligent,  practical  bee-keeper,  can  take  care  of  five 
kimdred  swarms,  and  make  a  portion  of  the  hives  needed  for 
new  colonies." — U.  S.  Patent  Office  Report. 

"  The  profits  resulting  from  a  judicious  and  proper  system  of 
bee  culture,  may  be  safely  estimated  at  from  one  hundred  to  five 
hundred  per  cent,  per  annum.  I  have  three  swarms,  which  have 
paid  mc  in  honey  and  increase  of  stock,  upwards  of  $100  in  two 
years.  The  average  profit  upon  my  entire  stock,  for  three  years, 
has  been  three  hundred  and  twenty-seven  per  cent,  per  annum, 
or  $3.27  has  been  the  annual  profit  on  every  dollar  invested." 
—Dr.  Eddy. 

"On  the  25th  of  April,  1858,  I  purchased  ten  hives  of  bees, 
m  the  old  fashioned  box  hive,  for  $50.  They  were  so  full  that 
I  had  to  divide  them  before  I  could  move  them.  I  divided  the 
ten,  and  made  me  twenty  hives.  On  the  thirteenth  day  after, 
[  divided  ten  again.  I  took  four  queens  from  one  hive,  in  the 
cells,  and  ten  from  another,  and  gave  each  swarm  a  queen-ceU, 
which  hatched  the  next  day,  making  thirty  hives.  I  sold  from 
those  thirty  hives,  $547  worth  of  honey,  and  the  increase  of  my 
bees  is  worth  $500  more,  making  $1,047  in  one  year,  from  an 
outlay  of  $50.  I  took  from  one  hive,  twelve  frames  filled  with 
honey,  in  fourteen  days,  and  I  had  a  number  of  hives  from  which 
I  took  twelve  frames,  filled  with  honey,  in  twenty-one  days." — 
E.  Townly,  Cincinnati,  0. 

The  "American  Agriculturist"  gives  the  results  of  the  apiary 
of  BidweU  Brothers,   of  Minnesota,   for  two  years  past.      In 


THE    APIARY.  159 

1864,  their  apiary  consisted  of  one  Italian,  and  fifty-eight  stocks 
of  black  bees.  The  one  ItaHan  stock  was  increased  to  fifteen, 
and  the  fifty-eight  stocks  of  black  bees  to  one  hundred  and 
eighty-one,  principally  by  artificial  swarming,  and  averaged  42K 
pounds  box  honey  per  stock ;  while,  for  the  past  season,  from 
two  hundred  and  four  old  stocks  they  received,  on  an  average, 
a  trifle  over  seventy-five  pounds  surplus  honey  per  stock. 

"A.  Kearns,  of  G-rundy  County,  started  in  this  business, 
with  a  single  swarm  in  an  "  old  gum  "  owned  by  a  neighbor,  of 
whom  he  received  half  the  proceeds  for  keeping  them.  One 
hive,  one  year  old,  filled  three  boxes  that  weighed  as  follows : 
one  34K,  one  35)^,  and  one  36K  pounds,  boxes  and  honey 
together,  and  the  fourth  partly  full.  This  bee  business  is  of 
growing  importance.  As  soon  as  these  discoveries  are  thoroughly 
known,  bee  raising  will  become  as  general  as  any  other  branch 
of  production.  When  men  learn  that  it  is  just  about  as  cheap 
to  raise  honey  as  not  to  raise  it,  and  far  cheaper  than  to  buy  it, 
they  will  no  longer  avoid  the  business." — Prairie  Farmer. 

Let  a  person  estimate  the  profits  of  bee-keeping,  by  commenc- 
ing with  a  few  stocks,  and  on  an  average,  doubling  every  year, 
or  putting  the  yearly  average  of  surplus  honey  per  stock  very 
low,  compute  the  interest  accruing  from  capital  invested  in  bees, 
and  consider  how  easy  it  is  to  accumulate  such  capital,  with  the 
fact  that  constant  attention  is  never  required,  and  that  hives  will 
last  almost  a  hfetime,  he  will  not  be  surprised  to  find  the  most 
inteUigent  men  in  this  country  and  Europe,  turning  their  atten- 
tion to  apiarian  pursuits. 


CHAPTER  yn. 

DIAEY   OF   HONEY   PLANTS. 

Success  in  bee-culture  depends  upon  various  things,  just  as  success 
in  every  other  line  of  business.  The  farmer  who  aims  to  keep  a  few 
hives,  in  some  neglected  corner,  and  who  "has  not  time  "  to  attend  to 
them  at  the  proper  season,  cannot  expect  to  find  the  bees  very  profit- 
able. He  can  no  more  expect  a  large  income  from  them,  than  he  could 
from  his  com  which  he  "had  not  time  "  to  work,  after  he  had  planted  it. 

But  whilst  this  is  true,  careful  and  timely  attention  is,  perhaps,  no- 
where better  paid  than  when  judiciously''  given  to  bees.  This  chapte] 
will  be  devoted  especially  to  the  different  ways  in  which  that  which  is 
pleasant  an  ornamental  around  the  home,  may  be  made  also  profit- 
able for  honey. 

FRUIT   TREES. 

Every  home  should  be  surrounded  with  fruit  trees,  unless  so  restrict- 
ed by  walls  and  streets  in  the  city ,  that  there  is  no  room  for  them.  Every 
farmer,  from  year  to  year,  should  increase  the  number  of  fruit  trees. 
The  value  of  fruit  for  health  can  hardly  be  over  estimated.  Bees  are 
very  important  in  securing  a  good  yield  of  fruit.  Sent  by  nature,  from 
flower  to  flower,  they  carry  the  pollen  and  fructify  the  germ,  and  make 
a  good  crop  more  certain. 

A  few  years  ago  bees  were  banished  from  a  certain  town  in  Connecti- 


DIART  OF  HONEY  PIANTS.  161 

cat  under  the  impression  that  they  injured  the  fruit ;  but,  in  less  than 
two  years,  the  edict  was  removed,  because  theirloss  was  felt  in  the  failure 
of  the  fruit  to  set,  and  all  were  convinced  of  the  wrong  done  the  bees 
and  the  bee-keeper. 

Cherries,  peaches,  pears,  and  apples,  furnish  the  first  good  honey 
harvest.  Every  bee-keeper  should  therefore  have  his  orchards  to  build 
up  the  bees  first,  and  afterwards  repay  well  in  fruit  for  many  years  and 
sometimes  for  generations.  Fruit  trees  are  almost  the  only  kind  of  farm 
produce  which  continue  to  bear  for  the  next  generation. 

Fruit  trees  of  all  kinds  may  be  obtained  of  nurserymen,  but  we  advise 
always  to  purchase  direct,  and  not  from  peddlers,  who  will  often  deliver 
them  at  the  most  inopportune  time.  If  one  is  not  able  to  purchase, 
they  may  be  raised  from  the  seed  and  grafted  the  second  year,  or  buds 
or  grafts  may  be  inserted  on  any  natural  stocks.  Good  dry  soil  is  best 
for  fruit  trees.  Let  it  be  well  worked  as  if  for  a  crop,  and  then  given  a 
good  dressing  with  manure.  A  few  words  may  be  useful  concerning 
the  mode  of  planting :  The  holes  should  be  dug  large  enough  to 
hold  the  roots  without  bending  from  their  natural  position.  The  finest 
and  best  soil  should  be  worked  in  and  around  the  roots  :  filling  every 
space  and  bringing  every  root  fully  in  contact  with  it,  so  that  no  open- 
ing is  left  among  them.  If  very  dry,  a  pail  of  water  should  be  added, 
and  dirt  drawn  up  a  little  higher  than  the  surrounding  soil,  and  packed 
down  fijmly  with  the  foot.  It  should  not  be  planted  deeper  than  it 
stood  in  the  nursery  after  the  ground  settles.  If  in  an  exposed  position 
the  tree  should  be  staked  and  tied  firmly  to  it  vrith  a  band  of  straw  or 
other  material.  The  first  summer  all  fruit  trees  should  be  mulched  with 
coarse  manure  or  litter,  from  three  to  six  inches  deep  and  extending  a 
foot  or  two  farther  in  every  direction  than  the  roots.     In  a  fruit  orchard. 


ig2  FEUIT  TEKES. 

a  hoed  crop  is  greatly  preferable  to  any  other,  for  the  first  five  years. 
After  this  start,  fruit  trees  will  grow  and  produce  fairly  in  turf. 

The  cherry  tree  thrives  best  on  a  sandy  or  gravelly  soil,  but  succeeds 
well  in  almost  any  situation  except  a  wet  one.  It  is  one  of  the  most 
ornamental  of  fruit  trees,  and  claims  a  place  in  the  yard  and  garden. 
It  thrives  well  anywhere  along  the  fence  or  hedge.  Bees  work  rapidly 
on  it  in  the  Spring.  The  plum  attains  its-  greatest  perfection  on  a 
strong,  clay  soil,  where  they  grow  most  thriftily  and  sufi'er  least  from 
"curculo." 

The  peach  is  of  easy  culture,  and  of  such  rapid  growth  that  where 
wood  is  scarce  it  may  be  grown  advantageously  for  fire  wood.  Of  this 
fruit  it  is  not  necessary  to  speak.  A  warm,  sandy,  and  dry  soil  is  the 
most  desirable  location  for  this  fruit.  The  soil  should  be  moderately 
rich,  and  if  convenient,  on  rather  high  land,  having  a  northern  slope. 
Orchards  may  be  well  arranged  with  peach  trees  alternating  with 
standard  apples  or  pears.  The  peach  yields  first  and  by  the  time  that 
the  apple  trees  need  the  ground  they  must  be  cut  out. 

Fruit  trees  of  all  kind  may  be  planted  either  in  the  fall  or  spring.  In 
cold  climates,  where  they  are  in  danger  of  freezing  out,  it  is  best  to  wait 
until  spring,  and  then  carefully  set  out  as  early  as  the  ground  will  per- 
mit. The  fine  roots  should  not  be  permitted  to  get  dry,  but  be  kept 
wrapped  in  some  soft,  moist  material.  If  once  thoroughly  dried  in  the 
son,  the  growth  is  retarded,  if  the  tree  is  not  injured, 

SMALL  ruUITS. 

First  among  these  stand  the  Eed  Raspberry.  It  is  a  very  profitable 
crop,  when  grown  convenient  to  market.  The  raspberry  succeeds  best 
in  a  moderately  rich,  mellow  soil.     It  should  be  planted  in  rows  five  or 


DIA.BY   OP   HONEr   PLANTS.  163 

six  feet  apart,  and  well  cultivated  to  produce  the  finest  results.  The 
roots  of  the  raspberry  run  near  the  surface  of  the  soil ,  hence  care  must 
be  taken  not  to  plant  too  deep.  Soon  after  the  fruit  trees,  it  yields  an 
abundance  of  beautiful  honey,  for  two  or  three  weeks.  The  honey 
is  secreted  rapidly  and  bees  work  on  it  throughout  the  day.  In  damp, 
rainy  weather,  bees  visit  its  blossoms,  when  scarcely  anything  else 
seems  to  be  yielding  honey.  Blackberries,  currants,  strawberries,  and 
gooseberries,  are  visited  by  the  bees,  but  among  these  for  purposes  of 
the  apiarian,  none  compare  with  the  raspberry. 

BASSWOOD. 

This  tree  is  too  well  known  to  need  any  description.  It  yields  rich, 
light  honey,  from  July  10th  for  about  two  or  three  weeks.  In  large 
portions  of  America  it  is  found  in  abundance,  in  the  natural  forests 
along  with  the  poplar  or  tulip  tree.  Difierent  varieties  of  the  poplar 
bear  the  name  of  white-wood,  which  yields  honey  in  abundance  in  May 
and  June. 

HOUTHEEN   HONEY  TKEES. 

In  the  South  the  orange  and  lime  trees,  sour-wood,  poplar,  holly,  and 
persimmon,  yield  large  quantities  of  honey.  In  some  parts  of  North 
Carolina  and  Virginia  the  persimmon  is  found  in  great  abundance.  A 
writer  from  Henderson  county,  N.  C,  wrote  some  time  since  to  the 
Magazine  as  follows,  concerning  it : 

"The  persimmon  affords  plenty  of  honey  where  it  is  abundant. 
Swine  eagerly  hunt  for  the  urn  shaped  flowers  when  they  fall,  and  thrive 
well  on  them.  This  tree  does  not  injure  the  growth  of  grass  or  crops 
near  it.     The  fruit  is  liked  by  many  persons.     Bees  go  a  long  distance 


161 


SOUTHEEN   HONEY   TKEES. 


BA8SW00D. 


DIABT   OF  HOXET  PLANTS.  1^5 

to  revel  in  its  white  fringe-like  flowers,   of  a   delicate  odor,  resembling 
honey  scented  with  anise.     It  is  one  of  our  finest  honey  plants." 

It  blooms  in  spring,  soon  after  the  fruit  trees  cease  to  yield  their 
honey.  Rev.  James  "W.  Shearer,  formerly  of  Virginia,  tells  us  that 
through  many  of  the  poorest  parts  of  Virginia  and  the  Carolinas,  the 
persimmon  tree  abounds,  and  describes  it  thus  : 

"  It  is  a  tree  seldom  found  in  the  forests,  but  abounds  in  waste  laud 
throughout  many  parts  of  Virginia  and  North  Carolina.  It  grows  from 
twenty  to  forty  feet  in  height,  and  is  peculiar  in  this  respect,  that  when 
left  for  shade,  the  soil  around  and  under  the  tree  is  enriched,  and  grain 
will  grow  even  up  to  the  roots  better  than  in  the  surrounding  soil.  The 
fruit,  which  is  a  very  sure  crop,  is  unfit  for  use  until  after  heavy  frost 
falls  upon  it  on  the  tree.  When  fully  matured  in  winter  it  tastes  very 
similar  to  the  date  of  commerce.  In  many  section  where  the  persim- 
mon abounds  the  land  can  be  bought  at  very  cheap  rates." 

THE    OBANGE. 

In  the  far  South,  where  the  orange  is  grown,  bees  gather  honey 
from  its  blossoms  in  abundance,  whilst  northern  bee-keepers  have  their 
hives  in  the  cellar  or  covered  deep  in  the  snow. 

THE    SOUE-WOOD,    OB    SORKEL   TREE. 

The  sour-wood  is  a  small  tree,  abounding  iu  the  natural  forests  in 
many  parts  of  the  South,  from  Virginia  to  Georgia.  It  grows  from 
twenty-five  to  forty  feet  high,  and  in  the  early  summer  is  full  of  fringes  cf 
blossoms,  which  afford  large  amounts  of  the  most  beautifuliand  delicious 
honey  in  the  world.  Each  little  blossom  somewhat  resembles  the  cup 
of  the  lilly  of  the  valley,  but  somewhat  between  it  and   the   mountain 


166  SOUE-WOOD,    OR   SOREEL  TREE. 

laurel  in  appearance.  The  tree  is  covered  with  these  little  cups,  which 
are  so  rich  in  honey  that  it  is  pleasant  to  suck  the  honey  from  the  blos- 
soms. Rev.  J.  "W.  Shearer  tells  us  that  he  has  often,  \>  hilst  riding  along 
the  road,  broken  off  bunches  of  the  blossoms  and  sucked  them,  to  get 
the  refreshing  honey,  or  shaken  the  honey  from  their  cups  into  his  hand 
and  eaten  it.  He  declares  it  to  be  in  flavor  and  appearance  superior  to 
any  honey  with  which  he  is  acquainted.  It  is  a  slow  growth,  and  the 
wood  is  hard  and  firm.  The  general  growth  of  the  tree  is  somewhat  like 
the  dog-wood. 

In  addition  to  the  above  mentioned  shrubs,  and  trees  there  are  many 
which  produce  much  honey  in  different  parts  of  our  broad  and  diversi- 
fied land.  The  first  place  must  be  given  to  basswood  and  sour-wood, 
among  honey  producing  trees,  and  these  followed  by  the  magnolias,^ 
orange,  lemon,  locust,  maple,  the  poplar  or  tulip  tree,  white-wood,  red- 
wood, fruit  trees  of  all  kinds,  the  persimmon,  the  button-wood,  the 
butter  bush,  chestnut,  the  Judas  tree,  black  gum,  mezquith,  and 
many  others. 

SHRUBS — RASPBERRIES. 

First  among  shrubs  stands  the  raspberry,  and  of  these  the  red  rasp- 
berry is  the  best  for  honey.  In  the  South  the  andromtdas  of  different 
kinds,  known  by  various  names  as  "  heath  worths, "  "bee  meadow,"  and 
"  leather  leaf,"  are  more  profitable  for  honey. 

THE  SUMAC 

yields  an  abundance  of  good  honey  wherever  it  is  found.  There  are  in 
some  sections  two  varieties — the  early  and  the  late .  Both  are  shrubs 
growing  from  five  to  fifteen  feet  high.  The  earlj^  variety  has  red  berries 
when  ripe,  and   the   late,  j^ellow  berries.     The  early  sumac  begins  to 


DA.rRY   OF  HONEY  PIANTS.  167 

bloom  in  June,  and  lasts  from  three  to  four  weeks.  The  blossoms 
coming  out  in  succession.  The  later  variety  blossoms  in  August  and 
yields  good'pasturage  for  two  or  three  weeks .  This  plant  is  found  in 
great  abundance  in  many  parts  of  our  countrj'.  It  has  become  of  con- 
siderable importance  as  an  article  of  commerce.  The  leaves  are  gather- 
ed, dried  and  ground.     It  is  used  extensively  for  dyeing  purposes. 

The  willows  and  alders  are  very  timely  for  bees  in  spring.  Besides 
these  there  are  a  number  of  shrubs  of  great  local  importance  to  the  bee- 
keeper's success,  the  witch  hazel,  hawthorn,  the  wild  crab  apple, 
blackberry,  wild  cherry,  the  Virginia  creeper,  the  bush  honey  suckle, 
St.  John  worts  and  many  others.  Each  bee-keeper  should  study  well 
the  flora  of  his  own  locality  and  manage  his  bees  with  discretion  accord- 
ing to  the  expected  honey  flow. 

The  only  general  advice  we  would  give  concerning  the  cultivation  of 
trees  for  honey,  beyond  that  given  on  page  155,  is  once  more  to  call  at- 
tention to  the  importance  of  good  fruit  on  every  farm,  and  the  necessity 
for  shade  trees  for  stock.  Where  the  persimmon  abounds,  its  peculiar 
character  of  not  impovershing  the  soil,  makes  it  a  most  excellent  shade 
tree  for  cattle,  at  the  same  time  a  treasure  to  the  bees  when  in  bloom. 
The  locust  should  be  planted  along  lanes  and  in  spare  places,  because 
of  the  great  value  of  its  timber  for  posts  when  cut,  as  well  as  for  bees 
whilst  growing. 

PEBEKNIAIi    PLANTS. 

First  among  these  stand  the  clovers — white  and  alsike.  White  clover 
is  two  well  known  to  need^ny  description.  It  should  be  sown  among 
other  grasses  for  pasture  land.  If  sown  alone  it  takes  from  eight  to 
twelve  pounds  to  the  acre.  It  begins  to  yield  honey  about  the  first  o*' 
June  and  continues  from  four  to  six  weeks. 


168 


PERENNIAL   PLANTS. 


ALSIKE   CLOVER. 


DIA.BY   OF  HONKT   PLANTS.  169 

Alsike  clover  seems  to  be  intermediate  between  the  white  and  red 
in  size  of  growth  and  also  in  the  size  of  color  of  the  blossom.  The  seed 
is  only  about  half  the  size  of  red  clover  seed,  and  it  requires  only  half 
as  much  by  measure  to  sow  an  acre.  In  other  respects  alsike  clover  is 
sown  and  treated  like  other  clover.  In  sowing  only  from  five  to  seven, 
pounds  per  acre  is  needed.  It  seems  to  furnish  richer  pasturage  than 
red  clover  and  at  the  same  time  has  all  the  advantages  of  white  clover 
for  honey.  "When  cut  at  different  times  during  the  summer,  it  yields  an 
abundance  of  honey.  The  seed  is  still  high,  and  as  it  is  growing  in 
favor  with  farmers  the  demand  for  the  seed  is  so  great  that  the  price  is 
good.     It  succeeds  best  in  a  cool,  moist,  loamy  soil. 

Lucerne  seems  in  some  sections  to  yield  honey  in  abundance,  whilst 
others  report  that  they  have  it  in  abundance,  yet  have  never  seen  bees 
at  work  upon  it.  Sow  as  clover,  with  from  twelve  to  eighteen  pounds 
per  acre.  It  may  be  that  some  do  not  consider  it  a  honey  plant  because 
during  its  season  other  honey,  which  the  bees  prefer,  is  so  abundant 
that  they  neglect  it,  whilst  in  other  sections  they  visit  this  plant  in 
quantities.  These  remarks  apply  not  only  to  lucerne,  but  to  many 
other  bee-plants,  which  in  other  communities  are  not  visited  by  bees. 
This  insect  is  very  choice — like  a  boy  at  dinner.  Let  him  commence 
on  dessert  and  he  will  be  content  to  make  his  whole  meal  of  cake,  pie, 
and  puddings,  to  the  neglect  of  potatoes,  bread,  and  cabbage.  So  Bees 
will  always  work  on  that  plant  which  they  find  at  the  time  preferable 
for  honey  in  the  vicinity,  to  the  neglect  of  other  good  honey  plants, 
which  would  be  visited  in  the  absence  of  the  first.  Again,  another 
rea  on  why  certain  flowers  yield  much  honey  in  one  vicinity,  and  not  in 
another,  seems  to  depend  upon  the  nature  of  the  soil  and  climate,  yet 
we  are  unable  at  present  to  give  more  than  general  reasons,  which  the 
progress   of  the   bee-keeping  industry  must   examine,  and  settle  so  far 


JYQ  MELILOT. 

as  possible.  It  is  well  known  that  certain  flowers  yield  honey  all  day 
and  others,  only  in  the  morning.  Some  secrete  it  only  in  moist,  warm 
weather,  and  others,  in  cool  weather. 

Fruit  trees  fail  sometimes  to  yield  honey  in  cold,  cloudy  weather. 
Buckwheat  yields  none  of  consequence  in  very  hot  and  dry,  or  in  very 
wet  weather.  Many  have  noticed  that  in  two  fields,  side  by  side,  which 
have  been  managed  differently,  bees  will  be  found  thick  on  the 
blossoms  in  one,  whilst  not  a  bee  is  seen  on  the  same  kind  of  blossoms: 
in  the  other.  And  besides,  many  have  noticed  that  one  season  bees 
work  greedily  on  a  plant,  which  they  will  not  touch  another  year.  The 
reason  may  be  either. 

First.  Because  for  some  cause  affected  by  climate  or  soil,  there  is  no 
secretion  of  honey  one  year;  or, 

Second.  Because  some  other  blossoms  at  the  time  yields  more  honey 
which  the  bees  prefer. 

Extremes  of  cold  or  heat,  wet  or  dry  weather  are  apt  to  seriously  af- 
fect the  flow  of  honey,  and  besides  flowers  grown  in  hard  poor  soil 
ofLimes  yield  much  less  honey  than  others  of  the  same  kind  near  by  iu 
soil  which  is  in  good  cnltivation,  moist,  and  fertile.  So  many  different 
things,  climatic  and  otherwise  affect  the  honey  flow,  that  we  should  not 
too  suddenly  conclude  that  any  given  plant  does  not  yield*honey  because 
in  one  particular  locality,  under  one  management,  and  in  any  particular 
year  it  failed  to  produce  honey  as  we  expected.  This  whole  field  is  a 
comparatively  new  one,  and  one  which  may  well  claim  careful  study  by 
apiarians  in  the  future . 


Melilot  is  a  handsome  plant ;  but  it  is  usefesss,  except  for  ornament 


DIAEY   OF   HONEY   PLANTS. 


171 


and  for  honey.  It  yields  finely,  but  when  established  becomes  a  very 
troublesome  weed.  It  is  an  annual.  We  mention  it  here  because  of  its 
popular  name — sweet  clover.     Sow  three  or  four  pounds  to  the  acre. 


GOLDEN   BOD   AND    ASTERS. 


These  fall  flowers  stand  perhaps  next  to  clovers  among  perennial 
plants  as  honey  producers.  Both  the  Golden  Rod  and  the  Aster  abound 
in  large  parts  of  the  United  Htates.  There  are  many  varieties  of  each, 
yet  neither  are  to  be  recommended  for  cultivation,  because,  like  the 
Oxeyed  Daisy  and  the  Blue  Thistle,  they  are  looked  on  as  weeds.  They 
spring  up  in  abundance  in  uncultivated  fields.  The  Golden  Rod  may 
be  known  by  its  general  appearance.     It  runs  up  in  a  stalk  from  one  to- 


172 


GOLDEN  BOD  AND   ASTEBS. 


GOLDEN   BOD. 


DIABY    OF   HONEY   PLANTS.  173 

three  feet  high, — a  rod  above  the  plant  capped  by  a  bunch  of  yellow 
flowers.  It  blooms  in  September,  and  in  some  sections  furnishes  an  im- 
portant part  of  winter  stores  for  bees.  In  many  places  both  the  Golden 
Eod  and  the  Asters  abound,  and  as  they  blossom  at  the  same  time  the 
honey  is  apt  to  be  mixed.  The  Aster  yields  a  lighter  colored  honey  than 
the  Golden  Rod,  when  the  weather  is  such  as  to  secrete  it  rapidly. 
Few  apiarians  are  aware  of  the  immense  quantities  of  honey  which 
may  be  obtained  from,  the  Aster,  because  hives  are  generally  filled  with 
honey  for  winter,  and  the  bees  are  not  stimulated  to  active  effort,  and 
bees  at  this  season  are  loth  to  build  comb  in  boxes  for  storing  it. 

Since  the  introduction  of  comb-foundation  great  amounts  of  Aster 
honey  may  be  gotten  from  tha  broodnest,  by  the  use  of  the  extractor. 
So  soon  as  the  harvest  opens,  remove  all  the  sealed  combs,  and  fill  their 
places  with  sheets  of  comb-foundation.  The  bees  are  stimulated  to  the 
in  tensest  activity.  Every  few  days  the  honey  should  be  extracted. 
When  the  harvest  is  over  remove  these  new  frames,  to  be  kept  for  build- 
ing up  in  Spring,  and  return  the  full  combs  for  winter.  It  was  from 
the  white  aster  that  Eev.  J.  W.  Shearer  secured,  in  Tennessee,  such  a 
yield  in  1874.  He  commenced  with  one  swarm,  as  reported  in  the 
MiGAzrsE  at  the  time,  and  in  September  and  October  extracted  near 
five  hundred  pounds  of  aster  honey,  from  five  colonies,  to  which  they 
had  been  increased  during  the  summer,  besides  leaving  a  full  winter 
supply  in  each  of  the  five  hives.  With  improved  methods  of  securing 
this  honey,  it  should  receive  more  attention  wherever  this  flower  abounds. 
Ill  the  Fall  the  fields  are  white  with  the  aster  through  many  parts  of  the 
Eastern  and  Middle  States.  There  are  many  varieties  of  aster  called 
popularly  by  different  names  "Iron  Weed,"  "Farewell  Summer," 
"Rag-weed,"  "  Stickweed,"  &c.  in  different  regions.  The  Blue  Aster 
is  not  so  common,  but  is  as  good  a  honey  plant. 


174 


GOLDEN   EOD    AND   ASTEB. 


BLUE  ASTEB. 


DIAET   OF    HONET   PLANTS.  175 

The  Aster  grows  from  one  to  three  feet  high.  It  sends  forth  one 
main  stalk,  with  several  branches,  each  of  which  is  covered  with  small 
white  flowers,  vaiyiug  from  one  to  five  hundred  blossoms  on  a  stalk. 
Thev  continue  to  open  for  weeks,  until  heavy  frosts  kill  them.  Slight 
frosts  do  not  effect  the  blossoms,  and  bees  can  generally  find  honey  in 
the  late  blossoms,  until  cold  weather  confines  them  to  the  hive. 


Of  this  plant,  Mr.  Langstroth  says:  "Ifthereisany  plant  which  would 
justify  cultivation  exclusively  for  bees,  it  is  the  borage.  It  blossoms 
continually  from  June  until  severe  frost,  and  like  the  rasi^berry,  is  fre- 
quented by  bees  even  in  moist  weather.  The  honey  from  it  is  of  a 
superior  quality,  and  an  acre  would  support  a  large  number  of  stocks." 

CAT>nP,     MOTHEKWOBT,     AND    HOAKHOUND. 

These  three  plants  blossom  about  the  middle  of  June,  and  remain  in 
blossom  from  four  to  six  weeks.  The  flowers  are  very  rich,  and  are 
visited  by  the  bees  at  all  hours  and  in  nearly  all  kinds  of  weather.  Mr. 
M.  Qainby  says:  "In  a  few  instances,  I  have  known  the  catnip  to  last 
twelve  weeks,  jdelding  honey  during  the  whole  time.  If  there  is  any 
plant  I  would  cultivate  specially  for  honey  it  would  be  the  catnip.  I 
find  nothing  to  surpass  it. " 

Perhaps  it  is  best  to  cultivate  only  such  plants  as  are  useful  otherwise 
and  incidentally  yield  much  honey.  Catnip  seed  scattered  in  fence  comr 
ers,  stony  places,  or  along  hedge  rows,  which  are  not  kept  in  cultivation, 
will  pay  well. 

TEA  SEX. 

This  plant  is  cultivated  largely  in  some  parts  of  New  York  for  its 
dried  blossoms,  which  are  used  by  the  manufacturers  in  taking  the  nap 


176  ANNUALS. 

from  cloth.  It  yields  a  beautiful  honey  in  large  quantities,  but  coming 
almost  with  basswood,  cannot  be  cultivated  solely  for  honey.  It  begins, 
to  bloom  about  July  10th,  and  lasts  from  twenty  to  twenty-five  days — 
about  a  week  longer  than  basswood.  It  is  much  thinner  than  bass- 
wood  and  beautifully  white, — almost  transparent  whtn  sealed  up  in  the 
comb,  but  the  flavor  is  strong  and  objectionable  to  many  people. 

BONESET    OR   THOROUGHWORT. 

This  plant  yields  honey  during  July  and  August,  sometimes  a  little; 
into  September.  In  some  localities  and  seasons  it  yields  good  honey^ 
very  liberally. 

Beside  these,  the  whole  families  of  mints,  balms,  and  mallows  are 
good  honey  plants.  Plants  of  the  genus  Oleome,  Polanisia,  and  Sophau- 
ihus  abound  in  the  great  North-west,  from  Illinois  to  Oregon,  and  yield 
good  supplies  of  honey.  Early  in  the  Spring  bees  are  assisted  in  pollen 
gathering  by  the  dandelion  and  crocus,  which  show  their  blossoms  soon 
after  the  first  warm  weather  sets  in. 


First  in  importance  among  annuals  stands  buckwheat,  though  not 
first  in  the  quality  of  honey.  Buckwheat  honey  is  quite  dark,  but  rich 
and  good.  This  grain  cannot  be  raised  to  advantage  where  the  sum- 
mer is  long  and  hot.  la  cool  mountanious  regions  the  yield  is  best. 
Boes  generally  work  on  buckwheat  during  the  month  of  August,  unless 
the  weather  is  extremely  dry  or  wet.  If  an  acre  or  two  of  buckwheat  be 
sown  a  month  or  six  weeks  before  the  regular  time  for  sowing  it  will 
yield  honey  for  the  bees  just  when  pasturage  fails  in  most  places — from. 


DIABT    OF    HOJTET  PLANTS.  177 

the  middle  of  July  to  the  middle  of  August.  Sow  from  two  to  three 
pecks  per  acre,  in  May,  June,  and  July,  to  yield  the  best  pasturage 
for  bees. 

MIGNONETTE. 

We  believe  that  this  well  known  fragrant  favorite  can  be  grown 
specially  for  honey  with  advantage.  Its  honey  properties  are  well 
known,  yet  recent  experiments  have  shown  it  more  rich  in  honey  than 
is  generally  believed.  It  is  a  hardy  annual,  and  in  good  soil,  in  ordi- 
nary seasons,  will  bloom  continuously  until  frost.  About  gardens,  in 
borders,  among  shrubbery  it  is  a  favorite,  because  of  its  rapid  growth, 
continued  delicate  blossoms,  and  fragrant  smell.  Bees  visit  this  flower 
from  "  early  dawn  to  dewy  eve,"  and  in  all  kinds  of  weather  when  they 
can  fly.  It  should  be  sown  in  an  open  border,  in  April  and  May,  and 
should  be  thined  out  or  transplanted,  giving  each  plant  plenty  of  room. 
For  cultivation,  the  plants  should  be  in  rows  two  feet  apart— wide 
enough  apart  for  the  plow — and  the  plants  some  ten  inches  distant  in  the 
row.  In  good  soil  they  spread  rapidly,  so  as  to  cover  the  ground.  If 
■well  thinned  in  this  way,  the  plants  will  become  much  stronger  and 
produce  larger  spikes  of  bloom.  So  far  as  we  know  all  who  have  ex- 
perimented with  it ,  agree  that  i^roperly  cultivated  for  bee  forage,  it 
pays  well.  Mr.  J.  E.  Johnson,  editor  of  the  Utah  Pcmologist,  writes 
us  as  follows  ; 

"After  a  continued  experience  of  ten  years  I  find  that  mignonette  is 
the  best  honey  plant  I  have  found.  It  is  almost  as  hardy,  and  blos- 
soms as  late  as  any  honey  plant,  and  is  an  ever  bloomer,  giving  myriads 
of  blossoms,  and  is  covered  continually  by  the  bees.  I  find  there  is  no 
plant  that  will  furnish  as  much  honey  the  year  round,  nor  none  that 
gives  it  better  flavor.     I  believe  that  one  acre  of  mignonette  would 


178  MUSTAKD   AND   TUKNIPS. 

furnish  sufficient  pasturage  for  one  hundred  stocks  of  bees.  Certainly 
I  have  nothing  in  my  list  of  plants,  unless  it  is  the  English  mustard, 
that  bees  work  more  freely  on.  Honey  made  from  this  plant  has  the 
most  delicious  flavor  of  any  we  have  ever  tasted,  and  where  it  has  been 
tested  in  market,  is  far  ahead  of  California  or  any  other  brands  of  honey 
and  brings  much  higher  price." 

Mr.  Wm.  Thompson,  of  Michigan,  confirms  these  statements  general- 
ly, from  his  own  experience  in  raising  this  plant,  and  adds,  "Bee- 
keepers, after  this,  need  not  concern  themselves  about  selecting  a  favor- 
able location  for  their  apiary.  They  can  make  it  what  they  will,  at  very 
little  expense.  An  acre  of  land  put  into  good  fertile  condition,  and 
planted  in  mignonette,  will  accomplish  all  that  is  necessary  to  render 
the  situation  as  favorable  as  any  that  can  be  found.  This  adds  another 
,  to  the  discoveries,  which  are  rendering  bee-keeping  a  thoroughly  estab- 
lished science,  and  giving  the  bee-keeper  an  entire  control  of  the 
situation." 

The  seed  is  about  twice  as  large  as  that  of  the  turnip,  and  it  requires 
from  one  and  one-half  to  two  pounds  to  the  acre.  It  can  be  obtained 
from  any  florist  or  from  this  office  by  the  package,  ounce,  or  pound.  It 
costs  about  $1.50  per  pound,  twenty-five  cents  per  ounce,  or  ten  cents 
per  paper.  The  established  sweet  varieties  are,  we  believe,  the 
best  for  honey. 

.       MUSTAED    AND    TUKNIPS. 

Next  to  mignonette  stands  mustard,  as  one  to  be  cultivated  for  honey. 
It  blossoms  at  the  time  of  the  drought  between  white  clover  and 
"buckwheat.  It  should  be  sown  in  Spring  as  early  as  the  weather 
and  soil  will  permit,  planting  from  four  to  six  quarts  to  the  acre.     It  is 


DIARr    OF    HONEY    PLANTS.  17U 

best  to  sow  it  in  drills  one  foot  apart,  though  it  is  often  sown  in  beds. 
In  rich  soil  the  stalks  are  from  three  to  five  feet  high,  and  are  covered 
with  blossoms.  This  is  not  alone  useful  for  honey.  The  tops  make  a 
good  salad  in  early  spring,  and  manufacturers  of  mustard  for  table  use 
pay  a  good  price  for  it.  The  black  mustard  yields  honey  most 
abundantly. 

The  turnip  blossoms  at  the  proper  time  to  furnish  good  pasturage 
during  the  drought,  just  after  the  fruit  trees  yield  is  over.  In  the 
Southern  States,  when  turnips  are  not  winterkilled,  the  small  ones  left 
in  the  ground  in  the  fall,  will  produce  an  abundance  of  flowers,  rich  in 
honey,  at  this  season. 

From  the  Northwest  various  annuals  rich  in  honey,  are  reported 
such  as  Chickweed,  Smartweed,  Spanish  Needle,  Silk  Poppy,  the  Minne- 
sota bee  plant,  and  the  Eocky  Mountain  bee  plant.  Besides  these  a 
variety  are  found  in  almost  every  section,  difi'ering  according  to  climate, 
which  yield  honey  to  a  greater  or  less  extent.  Among  these  are  the 
blossoms  of  melons,  pumpkins,  squash,  and  cucumbers,  peas  of  dif- 
ferent kinds,  the  snap  dragon,  the  wild  parsnip,  which  in  some  regions 
is  very  valuable,  heaths,  holly  hocks,  sunflowers,  and  many  others. 

Among  all  these  there  are  none  which  we  would  recommend  to  be 
cultivated  for  honey  save  fruit  trees,  and  raspberries,  with  basswood, 
and  other  superior  trees  from  the  list  for  shade  trees,  and  groves;  and 
as  crops,  buckwheat,  mustard,  turnips,  and  mignonette,  as  recom. 
mended  before. 

"We  must  always  remember  that  any  given  honey  producing  plant  or 
tree  does   not  uniformly  secrete  the  same  quantity  of  nectar  one  year 


180 


MUSTAKD  AND   TUBNIPS. 


with  another,  although  it  may  be  profuse  in  blossoms,  since  much 
depends  upon  the  state  or  condition  of  the  air  and  soil,  during  its. 
period  of  bloom  ;  yet,  it  is  also  true  that  many  plants  blooming  at  the 
same  time  require  very  different  conditions  of  the  atmosphere  in  order  to 
secrete  the  largest  quantity  of  which  they  are  capable,  some  require  a 
dry,  others  a  humid,  and  many  an  intermediate  condition.  This  is  a 
field  for  future  examination  and  experiment. 


CHAPTER  Yin 


MONTHLY    MAXAGEMENT. 


This  department,  the  experienced  bee-keeper  will  not  so  much  need, 
as  the  beginner,  for  he  has  learned  when  to  attend  to  his  bees;  but  the 
novice  continually  needs  timely  advice  and  warning,  least  he  neglect 
something,  to  the  great  detriment  of  his  apiary.  Even  the  experienced 
bee-keeper  may  be  assisted  in  rendering  prompt  attention,  by  such  a 
reminder;  for  all  are  aware  how  prone  we  are  to  neglect,  or  postpone, 
that  which  is  of  importance,  unless  reminded  of  our  duty.  We  do  not 
here  propose  to  include  everything  which  must  be  borne  in  mind,  but 
will  give  general  directions  which  will  necessarily  involve  some  repeti- 
tion of  what  has  gone  before,  which,  we  trust,  is  pardonable. 

JANUAR^T. 

Careful  apiarians,  by  this  time,  have  their  hives  all  properly  arranged, 
either  in  dry  cellars;  or,  as  we  prefer  and  recommend,  on  the  summer 
stands,  as  heretofore  directed,  unless  in  very  severe  climates.  If  winter- 
ed indoors,  let  the  bees  remain  as  quiet  as  2'>ossihle;  only  examining 
occasionally  to  see  that  no  mice  are  interrupting  them.  If  on  the  sum- 
mer stands,  they  should  be  examined  often,  guarding  the  entrance 
againstmice,  who  love  the  warmth  of  the  cluster,  unless  the  entrance  is 
^so  closed  that  they  cannot  enter.     Throughout  the  winter  a  board  should 


182  FEBEUART, 

shade  the  entrance,  so  that  the  sunshine  may  not  tempt  them  out,  unless 
it  is  quite  warm.  If  the  alighting  board  be  hinged  to  the  bottom  board, 
by  two  small  staples,  driven  in  opposite  directions  in  each,  it  may  be 
turned  up  when  needed  for  shade,  and  turned  down  when  they  can  fly. 
The  board  will  prevent  sun  and  rain  from  driving  in  at  the  entrance. 
Hives  covered  with  light  snow  are  protected  in  the  best  possible  man- 
ner against  cold  weather,  but  when  it  begins  to  pack  and  freeze  it  should 
be  lemoved  from  the  entrance,  or  at  least  from  the  holes  in  the  caps, 
when  packed  with  absorbing  material,  as  heretofore  recommended. 

Do  no  feeding  in  this  month,  unless  the  bees  are  about  to  run  out  of 
stores,  and  then  give  a  frame  of  honey,  ©r  place  honey  boxes  directly 
over  the  cluster.  If  these  are  wanting  feed  with  plain  white  candy.  If 
the  candy  is  burnt  in  making  it  is  not  a  suitable  food  for  the  bees.  In 
warm  climates  these  directions  are  not  so  important  as  where  the 
weather  is  cooler. 

During  this  and  other  winter  months,  the  bee-keeper  should  prepare 
his  hives,  boxes  and  crates,  and  whatever  is  necessary  about  the  apiarj-, 
so  that  he  may  not  be  pressed  when  the  bees  begin  to  need  his  attention, 
and  perhaps  the  farm,  orchard,  garden,  or  other  business  calls  for  a 
share  of  his  efiforts. 

FEBRUARY. 

Keep  the  bees  still  as  quiet  as  possible,  where  the  weather  remains 
cold  and  wintry.  But  if  a  warm  day  comes,  uncover  the  entrance  and 
let  the  bees  have  a  good  fly.  They  can  then  finish  the  winter,  until  the 
weather  tempts  them  out.  Any  undue  excitement  by  jaring  or,  in  any 
wise  disturbing  them  in  cold  weather,  is  very  injurious.  The  bottom 
board  should  be  cleared  of  all  obstructions,  and  the  dead  bees  swept 
out.     If  left,    they  injure   the   colony.     If  colonies   wintered  indoors 


MONTHLY   MANAGEMENT.  J 33 

show  signs  of  imea^^iness,  they  should  be  taken  quickly  to  their  summer 
stands  on  a  warm  daj-  for  a  fly,  and  returned  quickly  in  the  afternoon, 
when  they  have  ceased  to  fly. 

In  northern  climates  rye  and  oat  meal  may  be  fed,  during  February 
and  March,  in  a  sunny  corner,  protected  from  the  cold  winds :  but  in 
the  South,  natural  pollen  will  be  brought  in  during  this  month.  Aft€r 
its  appearance  bees  cannot  be  induced  to  use  meal .  Su«h  feeding  is 
useless,  except  in  cold  climates  where  the  flowers  are  late  in  making  their 
appearance.  In  the  far  South  bees  begin  their  spring  work  this  month — 
gathering  honey,  and  rearing  brood,  for  the  honey  harvest  and  the 
swarming  season  is  close  at  hand.  Farther  North,  light  stocks  will  need 
feeding,  but  where  once  commenced  it  should  be  continued  regularly. 
When  winter  holds  on  well  through  February,  no  liquid  food  should  be 
given,  but  candy  or  loaf  sugar,  as  recommended  for  January.  If  bees 
are  not  permitted  to  fly  during  the  winter,  they  are  Hable  to  dysentery. 
This  disease  is  present  whenever  bees  discharge  their  feces  in  a  hquid 
sti\te  in  the  hive,  on  the  bottom  board,  or  on  the  combs.  This  disease 
seems  to  rise  chiefly  from  feeding  upon  bad  honey  ;  increased,  perhaps, 
by  improper  ventilation,  or  too  great  exposure   to  extremes  of  weather. 

Bees  have  been  retained  in  dry  cellars  for  seven  months,  from  Novem- 
ber till  May,  without  bad  effects  There  is  always  danger  from  this 
disease  when  bees  are  confined  to  the  hive  for  a  long  time  without  void- 
ing their  feces,  and  their  food  is  inferior.  Sometimes  fall  honey  is 
inferior  in  quality,  or  bees  being  near  apple  mills,  store  in  a  great  deal 
01  unwholesome  sweet,  or  else  have  a  supply  of  inferior  food  gathered 
from  the  honey  dew.  The  best  way  to  prevent  dysentery  in  winter  is, 
to  extract  inferior  or  unripe  fall  honey  and  feed  sugar  syrup,  as  describ- 
ed in  "  September  ^Management,"  or  else  substituting  sealed  summer 
honey  in  its  place.     But  if  at  any  time  dysentery  appears  among  bees 


184  MAECH. 

in  winter,  they  should  be  given  an  opportunity  to  fly  and  void  their 
feces,  as  soon  as  possible.  If  the  remaining  stores  seem  to  be  bad 
they  should  then  be  fed  with  sugar  candy,  or  if  near  spring,  with  sugar 
symp.  Sudden  exposure  to  cold  seems  to  increase  the  tendency  to  the 
disease  ;  whilst  when  in  warm  comfortable  quarters,  thej'^  generally  void 
their  ffeces  in  a  dry  state  in  winter.  Combs  soiled  by  bees  having 
dysentery  should  be  washed  by  a  small  stream  of  water  from  a  syringe, 
and  may  be  returned  to  the  bees  in  the  Spring. 

As  in  January,  take  care  that  all  the  necessary  hives,  tools,  and  im- 
plements are  in  readiness  for  summer. 

MARCH. 

This  is  the  trying  time  on  bees,  and  the  seed  time  for  the  apiarian. 
Every  hive  should  be  examined,  and  if  stores  are  scant,  they  should  be 
supplemented.  We  cannot  too  strongly  insist  on  the  importance  of 
regular  feeding,  if  once  begun.  The  feeders  should  be  placed  under  the 
quilt,  so  that  the  bees  can  get  at  the  wann  liquid  food,  without  leaving 
the  cluster.  They  should  not  be  fed  in  the  morning  for  two  reasons. 
First,  Because  it  is  apt  to  induce  robbing  ;  and,  Secondly,  Because  when 
they  have  warm  food  during  the  day,  bees  are  tempted  to  fly  out,  and 
many  will  thus  be  chilled.  The  auger  feeder,  described  under  "Feed- 
ing" answers  well  for  this  season  of  the  year.  The  syrup  should  be 
made  quite  thin,  as  bees  need  much  water.  Early  in  March,  or  six 
weeks  before  fruit  blossoms  will  appear,  each  colony  should  be  confined, 
to  only  so  many  combs  as  it  can  well  fill,  by  a  movable  di'vision  board 
until  the  combs  are  pretty  well  filled  with  brood,  and  at  intervails  of 
from  five  to  ten  days,  the  combs  opened  and  an  empty  one  inserted. 
By  this  means  the  heat  of  the  colonies  is  retained,  the  queen  stimulated, 
.and  brood  reared  very  rapidly.     Be  cautious  not  to  expand  more  rapidly 


J 


JIONTHLT  MANAGEMENT  lg.5' 

than  the  increasing  bees  can  fully  cover  the  combs.  The  ventilation 
from  above,  should  now  be  stopped  and  the  qnilts  kept  tightly  packed, 
so  as  to  retain  the  heat  of  the  hive  for  rapid  development.  When  there  is 
abundant  honey  in  sealed  comb,  bees  are  stimulated  to  use  it  by  clip- 
ping off  the  caps  and  putting  it  in  the  broodnest.  If  there  is  sufi&cient 
honey  in  the  combs  no  other  feeding  should  be  done  at  all,  unless  it  is 
to  be  ^ept  up  regularly  until  the  first  blossoms  appear.  Guard  carefully 
against  robbing,  by  leaving  no  syrup  or  comb  exposed,  and  by  contract- 
ing the  entrances,  especially  of  weak  stocks.  If  any  hive  is  found 
queenless,  it  should  be  promptly  united  with  some  weak  colony,  and 
the  combs  preserved  for  use  in  the  summer.  It  is  a  loosing  businsss  to 
attempt  to  keep  a  queenless  colony.  Before  they  can  rear  a  queen  they 
■will  almost  certainly  be  lost  from  dwindling,  robbing,  or  worms.  But 
if  united  with  a  weak  one,  it  makes  it  strong,  and  almost  doubles  its 
valae.  In  the  far  North  rye  meal  should  be  continued  until  flowers 
appear,  but  when  wintered  indoors  we  advise  always  to  keep  them  in 
until  the  last  of  April  or  the  first  of  May.  If  such  colonies  become  un- 
easy, take  them  to  their  summer  stands,  (being  careful  to  place  each 
upon  the  site  occupied  the  year  before,  to  prevent  confusion  when  they 
take  their  flight)  and  return  them  until  the  cold  weather  seems  to  be  weU 
over.  Colonies  \v-intered  in  the  cellar  are  not  prepared  to  stand  the 
changes  to  which  they  are  subject,  if  set  out  too  early,  and  the  result  is 
great  loss  by  "Spring  Dwindling."  Some  bee-keepers  advise  setting 
such  on  their  summer  stands  about  the  middle  of  this  month  and  begin 
to  feed  artificial  pollen.  If  stores  are  plentiful  and  sweet,  such  hives 
will  go  forward  gradually  with  breeding  in  the  cellar,  and  when  warm 
weather  begins  to  stir  them,  they  are  in  much  better  condition  than  if 
set  out  earlier. 

March  or  April  is  a  good  time  to  buy  bees  in  old  hives  for  transfering. 


186  AP^ii^- 

The  selected  stock  should  be  strong  in  bees,  with  dark  straight  comb 
and  not  a  last  year's  swarm,  because  m  this  is  an  old  queen.  One  that 
has  swarmed  the  preceeding  year  is  much  to  be  preferred  as  this  has  a 
young  fertile  queen. 

If  attention  is  given  regularly  to  feeding  small  quantities  of  syrup 
every  evening,  from  this  time  until  flowers  appear,  you  may  expect  large 
stocks  and  much  honey.  This  is  especially  desirable  when  red  rasp- 
berries are  abundant. 

APRIL. 

This  is  the  month  in  which  bees  need  the  most  care.  There  are  few 
sections  in  which  honey  is  gathered,  except  in  the  far  South,  though 
bees  are  active  bringing  pollen,  and  raising  young  bees  in  abundance. 
In  any  locality  it  is  important  that  the  queen  should  be  laying  rapidly 
six  weeeks  before  the  fruit  trees  blossom,  or  before  the  first  expected 
yield  of  honey. 

During  this  month  bees  consume  large  quantities  of  honej^  in  rearing- 
brood.  If  stores  are  scant  but  few  bees  will  be  raised,  and,  perhaps,  the 
abundant  brood  in  the  cells  will  be  destroyed.  Bees  often  starve  at 
this  season  of  the  year,  because  the  honey  is  consumed  more  rapidly 
than  supposed.  It  is  well  to  continue  the  operation  of  spreading  the 
comb  and  inserting  an  empty  one,  or  comb-foundation,  every  eight  or 
ten  days  when  the  bees  are  doing  well;  being  careful  not  to  spread 
more  rapidly  than  the  increasing  bees  demand.  If  combs  on  hand  are 
filled  with  sealed  honey,  clip  the  caps  and  place  it  in  the  centre.  The 
bees  will  rapidly  use  and  remove  the  honey,  and  the  comb  be  appro- 
priated to  brood-rearing.  Be  careful  to  place  no  drone  comb  in  the 
midst  of  the  broodnest  at  this  season,  unless  drones  are  desired  very 
early  for  the  purpose  of  Itahanizing.     If  this  is  desired  a  sheet  placed  in 


MONTHLY   MANAGEMENT.  187 

the  centre  the  first  of  this  month,  will  give  drone  as  early  as  swarming  is 
generally  desirable  in  the  Middle  States.  This  should  be  regulated  by 
the  climate.  Regular  feeding,  with  thin  sugar  syrup,  about  sunset  during 
this  month  pays  well,  in  additional  stores  later  in  the  season.  But  even 
where  the  stocks  are  all  strong  and  feeding  deemed  unnecessary,  it  is 
well  to  feed  in  the  caps  during  any  continued  cold  or  rainy  spell  in  this 
month  and  May. 

In  this  month  bees  from  the  cellar  should  be  set  on  the  summer  stands 
except  far  North,  where,  if  they  remain  quiet,  it  may  be  best  to  wait 
until  the  first  of  May.  This  should  be  regulated  by  the  season.  They 
should  be  set  out  as  soon  as  warm  weather  seems  to  have  come  and 
blossoms  begin  to  appear.  In  setting  out  bees,  open  only  a  few  stocks 
at  a  time,  until  the  excitement  of  first  flight  is  over.  In  the  far  north 
continue  feeding  rye  and  oat  meal  this  month,  so  long  as  the  bees 
will  take  it. 

In  the  far  South  the  swarming  season  is  approaching  and  the  direc- 
tions for  May  and  -June  are  more  appropriate.  In  the  far  North,  March 
management  applies.  These  notes  apply  more  especially  to  the  great 
middle  section  of  the  country.  As  bees  are  rapidly  increasing  during 
this  month,  common  sense  teaches  us  to  take  away  absorbing  material 
and  cover  the  broodnest  as  closely  as  possible  with  warmer  covering,  so 
as  to  prevent  upward  ventilation  and  retain  as  much  as  possible  of  the 
animal  heat  of  the  hive.  There  is  no  danger  of  getting  the  hive  too  hot 
in  this  month,  except  in  the  far  South .  Sunshine  on  the  hive  stimulates 
them  in  spring.  Wherever  the  wild  cherry  abounds  it  is  best  to  give  no 
room  for  storage  of  surplus  honey  from  this  source.  Its  honey  is  excel- 
lent for  building  up  colonies,  but  unpleasantly  bitter  for  table  use. 

At  this  season  kill  every  worm  or  miller  that  may  be  seen.  This 
saves  trouble,  as  each  one  now  rears  four  generations  during  summer. 


188 


Be  carefnl  in  Spring,  and  then  keep  strong  stocks,  and  the  danger  from 
worm  is  very  small,  especially  if  Italian  or  hybrid  bees  are  kept 
April  and  May  are,  perhaps,  the  best  months  for  transferring.  April  in 
the  South,  and  May  farther  North,  when  the  first  great  brood  rearing  is 
over.  If  any  queenless  stocks  still  remain,  unite  them  as  recommend- 
•ed  in  March .  Feeble  colonies  should  be  reinforced  by  a  frame  of  hatch- 
ing brood,  placed  in  the  centre,  during  this  month.  Do  not  cut  away 
comb  because  it  is  dark  or  even  mouldy.  Mouldy  or  soiled  comb  can 
be  easily  renovated  by  water  and  the  extractor,  or  with  a  strong  syringe, 
-Coml)s  in  which  bees  have  died  should  be  cleared  of  dead  bees,  even  if 
it  be  necessary  to  scrape  away  a  part  of  the  cells  on  one  or  both  sides 
■of  the  comb. 

MAY. 

If  care  has  been  given  as  recommended,  all  stocks  in  mild  latitudes 
should  be  crowded  with  brood  in  all  stages  of  development.  In  the  far 
North  the  stimulating  of  April  is  now  in  progress  and  in  the  Southern 
States  the  honey  harvest  is  well  begun.  There  the  June  management 
best  applies  to  this  month. 

It  seems  to  be  the  instinct  of  bees  at  this  season  to  rear  as  much  brood 
tis  possible.  K  any  honey  is  to  be  gathered  they  bring  it  in  rapidly. 
The  more  honey  they  get  and  the  more  they  are  fed  the  more  rapidly 
thej'  increase,  provided  the  broodnestis  not  filled  with  it.  If  cold,  windy, 
or  rainy  weather  continue  for  several  days,  hives  are  very  much  checked 
in  development  and  injured.  Hence,  under  such  circumstances,  they 
should  always  be  fed.  Let  the  sun  shine  on  the  hives  as  much  as  pos- 
sible during  this  month.  Different  management  should  be  followed 
this  month,  if  rapid  increase  of  stocks  is  desired,  instead  of  surplus 
honey. 


MONTHLY   MANAGEMENT.  189 

If  increase  of  stocks  is  the  object  much  feeding  is  required,  and  new 
comb  continually  inserted  to  the  capacity  of  ten  or  twelve  frames,  ac- 
cording to  size.  As  soon  as  drones  begin  to  hatch,  by  the  middle  or  last 
of  May.  divide  the  strongest  hive,  by  finding  the  queen  and  removing 
the  comb  to  which  she  adheres  and  one  or  two  more  to  a  new  hive,  add- 
ing from  two  to  four  frames  of  artificial  comb,  according  to  the  strength 
of  the  colony.  Eemove  the  old  hive  to  a  new  locality  and  place  the  new 
one  upon  the  old  stand.  The  old  one  will  rear  a  number  of  queen  cells 
ready  for  insertion  into  other  hives  as  swarms  are  made  by  either  of  the 
methods  recommended  under  "  Artificial  Swarming."  "We  would  advise 
the  above  method  or  that  of  taking  two  combs  from  each  of  four  hives 
and  inserting  empty  ones  in  their  places  for  beginners,  giving  each  a 
queen  cell,  when  made . 

The  novice  should  never  attempt  to  more  than  double  his  colonies. 
He  may  expect  the  bes£  results  if  he  only  makes  one  new  swarm  from 
each  two,  especially  if  he  uses  the  extractor.  We  would  advise  getting 
an  extractor,  even  though  not  more  than  two  hives  are  kept. 

These  directions,  concerning  swarming,  apply  in  many  places  to  June, 
according  to  strength  of  colonies.  If  bees  begin  to  "  lay  out "  when  the 
hives  are  crowded,  they  should  be  divided,  the  combs  extracted,  artificial 
foundation  given,  or  honey  boxes  put  on.  Sometimes  giving  boxes  will 
not  set  bees  to  work,  and  unless  an  extractor  is  at  hand  they  should  be 
divided.  If  surplus  honey  and  not  increase  is  sought,  the  extractor  is 
almost  essential.  If  it  is  freely  used  there  is  much  less  danger  of  swarm- 
ing. Sometimes  bees  will  take  the  swarming  fever.  If  so,  it  is  best  to 
swarm  them,  raise  young  queens,  as  described  above,  and  then  reunite 
them  with  the  young  queens,  giving  ample  surplus  space  in  boxes  at 
the  top  and  sides,  or  by  filling  both  the  upper  and  lower  chambers  with 
combs,  and  foundation  combs  wfien  the  extractor  is  chiefly  relied  oij. 


190  JUNE. 

In  June  we  will  give  specific  directions  concerning  putting  on,  and  the 
management  of  boxes,  which  in  middle  latitudes  where  honey  appears  in 
abundance,  should  be  used  this  month. 

Hives  with  young  queens  are  much  more  apt  to  make  worker  comb,  if 
empty  frames  are  given,  than  those  with  old  queens,  which  make  more 
drone  comb.  The  best  way  to  prevent  swarming  is  hy  giving  empty 
comb  every  few  daj's,  between  two  brood  combs,  by  using  the  extractor 
freely  on  the  combs  in  the  broodnest,  by  giving  ample  surplus  boxes,  or 
by  placing  the  hive  above  another  having  empty  comb  below,  and 
closing  all  the  entrances  into  the  upper  one,  except  through  the  lower. 
But  if  the  swarming  fever  has  once  begun  it  cannot  well  be  cured,  except 
"by  dividing,  after  which  they  may  be  reunited. 

If  empty  combs  at  any  time  are  not  in  use,  they  should  not  be  packed 
in  a  box,  or  moth  eggs  will  soon  hatch  and  destroy  them.  Hang  them 
singly  in  a  cool  cellar  or  out  building,  where  the  air  can  pass  around 
them  and  they  nre  not  apt  to  be  injured. 

JUNE. 

In  most  sections  in  the  North  and  Middle  States  this  month  is  the 
great  harvest  time  for  the  bee-keeper.  It  is  also  the  great  swarming 
season  and  every  bee-keeper,  who  relies  on  natural  swarming,  must  now 
keep  constant  watch  over  his  bees. 

Whenever  bees  are  hived  it  is  always  well  to  put  a  card  of  honey  and 
brood  from  the  old  stock  into  the  hive.  This  will  usually  prevent  the 
swarm  from  leaving  the  hive,  and  also  furnish  necessary  supplies  should 
a  few  days  of  cool,  rainy  weather  immediately  follow.  For  modes  of 
hiving,  and  dividing  artificially,  see  the  chapter  on  this  subject.  There 
is  always  danger  of  hives  becoming  queenless  after  swarming,  as  the 
queen  may  be  lost  on  her  bridal  tour,  or  fail  to  reach  the  right  hive. 


MONTHLT  MANAGEMENT.  191 

Such  a  queenless  hive  will  soon  become  weak,  and  is  liable  to  be  destroy- 
ed by  worms  or  robbers  if  not  watched.  Queenless  stocks  do  not  defaid 
themselves  as  others.  It  is  better  to  unite  such  stocks  with  others,  un- 
less queen-cells  or  young  queens  are  at  hand  to  give  them,  and  afterwards 
divide  agiiin,  if  increase  is  desired.  Be  careful  to  remove  drone  combs 
from  the  brood  nest  that  time  and  honey  be  not  wasted  in  rearing  too 
many.  To  prevent  the  swarming  fever  proceed  as  described  in  May, 
by  using  the  extractor,  doubling  up,  and  exchanging  combs  ;  or  else 
give  timely  access  to  the  honey  boxes.  At  first  only  a  small  amount  of 
surplus  room  should  be  given  each  hive.  After  the  bees  begin  to  work 
well  in  this,  other  boxes  may  be  added.  If  starters  of  comb  or  comb 
foundation  be  placed  in  the  boxes  the  bees  will  more  readily  commence 
on  them. 

At  the  commencement  of  a  good  honey  flow  at  the  last  of  May,  or 
during  this  month  each  hive  should  have  some  surplus  room  if  box 
honey  is  desired.  As  the  season  progresses,  and  the  bees  are  rapidly 
working,  these  may  be  increased  by  removing  and  giving  new  boxes,  by 
remo^'ing  from  the  side  to  the  top,  or  by  lifting  one  tier  of  boxes  and 
inserting  another,  according  to  the  arrangement  of  the  hive  and  the  box 
prepared.  Bees  store  faster  in  the  lower  chamber,  and  seal  up  the 
honey  more  quickly  above.  Where  one  has  time,  perhaps,  the  most 
profitable  way  to  manage  for  honey  is,  to  combine  the  use  of  the  extrac- 
tor and  boxes.  Build  up  rapidly  in  the  spring,  as  described.  Then  in 
June — having  the  hive  full  of  bees — contract  the  broodnest  to  six  or 
eight  frames — as  many  as  the  queen  will  keep  full  of  brood.  On  each 
side  place  brood  frames  full  of  small  boxes,  liangmg  in  the  hives  just 
as  the  regular  frames.  (See  "Hives  "  and  "  Surplus  Honey,")  Two 
on  each  side  are  sufficient.  If  boxes  larger  than  four  and  one  half  inches 
square  are  used,  wire  framed  division  boards,  with  proper  openings,  must 


be  used  between  them  and  the  broodnest.  These  frames  can  be  con- 
stantly shifted,  placing  a  full  one  above  to  be  capped,  moving  out  the 
inner  one  and  inserting  between  it  and  the  broodnest  a  frame  filled  with 
other  boxes.  As  honey  is  rapidly  stored  in  the  broodnest,  it  may  be 
extracted  before  it  is  capped  over,  the  thickest  and  best  drawn  off  from 
below  and  bottled,  and  the  rest  refed  to  the  bees,  to  be  stored  in  the 
boxes.  This  can  be  done  to  a  great  advantage  during  a  honey  drought, 
5c  as  to  keep  the  queen  rapidly  laying,  and  the  stock  strong  for  future 
work. 

"Where  the  extractor  is  used  regularly  it  will  be  found  much  best  to 
have  a  few  extra  combs,  and  as  the  combs  to  be  extracted  are  removed 
replace  them  with  others,  and  close  up  the  hive.  By  keeping  the  frames 
in  a  carrying  box,  well  covered  they  are  exposed  but  a  little  time  to 
robbers.  If  robbers  abound  they  should  be  carried  to  a  close  bam  or 
outer  room  and  extracted.  The  best  time  for  extracting  is  in  the  middle 
of  the  day,  during  a  good  honey  harvest,  when  most  of  the  old  bees  are 
absent  in  the  fields.  They  will  then  scarcely  notice  the  honey.  Extract 
from  two  combs  at  a  time.  Clipp  off"  the  caps  with  a  sharp  knife,  (see 
"  Extractor")  and  hang  them  on  opposite  sides,  close  against  the  wire 
frame.  Now  turn  the  extractor  a  few  moments  until  the  honey  is 
thrown  from  the  sides  next  the  wire  cloth,  and  then  turn  the  other  sides 
of  the  combs  to  the  wire  cloth  and  turn  as  before.  New  combs,  or  those 
having  in  them  pollen  or  brood  should  be  turned  very  gently. 

JULY. 

Keep  a  constant  watch  for  queenless  colonies,  and  do  not  let  them 
dwindle  away.  Prompt  attention  saves  the  colon}-.  All  the  hives 
should  be  kept  strong  by  regular  feeding  after  sunset  if  pasturage  fails. 
Care  should  be  used  at  such  times  in  opening  hives.     Always  smoke  the 


MONTHLY    MANAGEMENT.  193 

bees  well  before  attempting  it,  aud  move  gently,  because  bees  are  much 
more  vicious  when  there  is  no  honey  in  the  fields.  Keep  boxes  on  and 
continue  to  extract  according  to  the  honey  supply. 

If  small  boxes  are  used  in  large  frames  they  may  be  removed  or  ex- 
changed with  ease,  just  as  the  regular  frames,  by  smoking  the  bees  and 
then  brushing  them  off  with  a  green  twig.  "When  boxes  are  to  be  re- 
moved too  much  smoke  will  cause  them  to  eat  the  caps  from  the  honey. 
If  section  boxes,  or  any  with  more  than  one  comb  is  used,  it  is  often  dif- 
ficult to  rid  the  boxes  of  bees  when  they  are  removed,  and  there  is  dang- 
er of  losing  the  young  bees  by  the  method  recommended,  viz.,  putting 
into  a  box  or  barrel,  and  covering  it  with  a  sheet,  which  is  turned  over 
frequently  as  the  escaping  bees  cluster  upon  it.  A  successful  method 
is  to  have  each  hive  numbered  and  as  boxes  are  removed  number  them 
accordingly.  Upon  this  place  a  corresponding  box,  with  holes  open 
between  them,  and  lay  them  with  the  empty  box  uppermost  in  the: 
honey  house.  The  young  bees  \s*ill  ascend  into  it.  It  is  then  closed  and 
placed  upon  the  hive  from  which  the  box  is  taken.  This,  however,  is 
troublesome,  The  best  way  to  remove  them  when  honey  is  abundant 
and  bees  are  gathering  it  rapidly,  is  to  take  off  the  boxes  and  set  them 
by  the  hives  in  the  evening.  In  the  morning  early  the  bees  will 
be  out,  and  they  should  then  be  removed. 

Boxes  should  be  watched  for  a  few  weeks  after  they  are  taken  off.  If 
the  weather  is  warm  and  worms  begin  to  hatch,  they  should  be  smoked 
with  sulphur.  It  is  most  successfully  used  by  heating  a  large  piece  of 
iron.  Put  it  in  an  iron  vessel  and  pour  the  flour  of  sulphur  upon  it- 
In  this  way  there  is  no  danger  from  fire.     (See  under  ''Honey  Boxes.") 

In  sections  where  darker  honey  is  gathered  the  last  of  this  month,  the 
nice  white  basswood,  or  clover  honey  comb  should  be  promptly  re- 
moved before  it  is  soiled,  or  the  white  honey  extracted  before  it  is  injur- 


194  AUGUST. 

ed  by  admixture  with  the  darker.  During  hot  weather  be  careful  always 
to  give  the  broodnest  good  ventilation,  but  keep  the  boxes  closed  for 
wax  working. 

AUGUST. 

In  many  places  but  little  honey  is  gathered  this  month,  but  in  others 
the  main  summer  supply  is  laid  away.  Of  course  different  manage- 
ment applies,  according  to  location.  If  honey  abounds,  continue  treat- 
ment as  in  July — keeping  each  hive  supplied  with  boxes,  or  extracting 
frequently.  Where  dark  buckwheat  is  plentiful  we  advise  giving  frames 
of  foundation  in  exchange  for  sealed  combs,  which  should  be  set  away 
for  winter.  We  advise  this  especially  where  bees  can  be  gotten  in  the 
fall  from  neighbors  who  "  take  up  "  their  bees  and  where  aster,  golden- 
'rod,  smartweed,  or  other  fall  flowers  abound,  which  produce  good 
honey.  This  can  be  saved  and  the  less  salable  buckwheat  honey  be 
substituted  for  winter,  or  used  for  filling  hives  for  bees  gotten  from 
neighbors. 

This  is  the  best  month  for  Italianizing  if  it  is  done  by  purchasing 
queens,  because  they  are  cheaper  than  at  any  other  time  of  the  j^ear  ; 
the  hives  are  not  necessarily  disturbed  during  their  previous  work,  and 
they  go  into  winter  quarters  just  right  to  turn  out  good  Italian  workers 
for  the  next  season.  Be  careful  always  to  have  brood  reared  plentifully 
this  month  and  next,  even  if  feeding  is  necessarj^  because  hives  strong 
with  young  bees  in  the  fall,  winter  much  better,  and  develope  much 
more  rapidly  in  the  spring  than  those  that  cease  rearing  brood  at  thig 
season  of  the  year.  Whenever  no  good  honey  harvest  is  expected  after 
this,  care  should  be  promptly  taken  to  see  that  empty  cells  are  in  the 
centre  of  the  hive  for  broodrearing,  and  that  there  is  a  full  amount  of 
supplies  given  for  winter. 


MONTHLY   MANAGEMENT.  195 

During  the  honey  drought  in  this  month,  or  whenever  the  bees 
cease  to  find  honej'^  in  the  fiekls,  they  are  much  more  difficult  to  handle 
and  much  more  given  to  robbing  than  at  any  other  season.  In  opening 
or  removing  boxes  be  as  gentle  as  possible,  and  always  smoke  well 
before  opening  a  hive.  Keep  all  stocks  strong.  If  any  seems  weak 
build  it  up  by  inserting  from  one  able  to  spare  it,  a  comb  or  two  of 
hatching  brood.  Keep  the  entrances  contracted  so  as  to  prevent  robbing. 
If  it  has  fairly  commenced  stop  it  as  recommended  under  "Kobbing." 
Leave  no  sweets  or  bits  of  comb  exposed. 

If  box  honey  is  placed  in  a  cool  dry  cellar  there  is  less  danger  from 
hatching  worms,  and  less  yet  if  the  combs  are  set  on  a  shelf  an  inch  or 
^wo  apart,  so  as  to  permit  the  free  circulation  of  air  around  them . 

SEPTEMBER. 

This  month's  operations  are  very  important  in  preparing  hives  for 
winter.  Unsealed  late  honey  is  generally  poor  winter  food  for  bees 
Hence  if  close  extracting  be  continued  late  there  is  always  danger,  un- 
less full  sealed  combs  have  been  set  away  for  them,  or  unless  this  be 
extracted  and  good  sugar  syrup  be  given  as  recommenced  in  the  chapter 
on  "Wintering."  Bat  where  many  fall  flowers  abound  the  main  sur- 
plus of  the  year  is  sometimes  gathered  this  month.  Hence  prompt  at 
tention  should  be  given.  To  gather  this  fall  honey  the  extractor  is  almost, 
invaluable;  for  it  will  be  not  be  stored  in  boxes  when  comb  must  be 
built  anything  like  so  rapidly  as  in  the  brood  nest,  which  instinct 
teaches  them  must  be  filled  now  for  winter. 

This,  like  August,  is  a  good  time  to  introduce  Italian  queens  or  others 
in  order  to  secure  new  brood,  which  is,  as  we  believe,  no  less  important 
with  bees  than  other  live  stock. 

Keep  no  queenless  stocks  beyond  this  month,  unless  queens  are  ex- 


J96  OCTOBER. 

pected  to  be  introduced,  and  in  that  case  insert  a  comb  or  two  of  hatch- 
ing brood  from  some  that  can  spare  them,  in  order  to  secure  a  supply 
of  young  bees  for  winter.  Where  little  honey  is  gathered,  the  last  of  July 
and  throughout  August,  but  the  fall  harvest  is  good,  the  best  time  to  ' 
divide  bees  is  just  after  the  summer  harvest  closes.  By  regular  feeding 
during  this  time  all  the  necessary  queens  may  be  reared,  a  good  increase 
obtained,  and  the  hives  are  all  strong  with  bees  to  gather  the  fall  honey 
and  are  also  in  the  best  condition  for  wintering. 

In  readjusting  the  comb  for  winter  in  this  month  or  next,  according 
to  climate  and  honey  flow,  be  careful  always  to  give  each  hive  a  comb 
or  two  containing  bee-bread,  and  in  northern  latitudes  to  cut  a  hole  in 
each  comb  for  winter  passages,  as  rec9mmended  undep  "Wintering/' 
Queens  known  to  be  old  should  always  be  replaced  by  young  ones  in  the 
fall,  even  though  you  have  to  purchase  the  young  queen.  With  a  little 
care  a  supply  of  young  queens  may  be  easily  kept  on  hand  this  time  of 
the  year.  If  feeding  is  necessary  feed  as  rapidly  as  possible,  unless  it 
is  desirable  to  stimulate  bioodrearing.  Directions  as  to  modes  of  ship- 
ping honey  will  be  given  next  month. 

In  this  month  do  not  fail  to  contribute  to,  and  carefully  examine  the 
bee  department  in  your  local  and  State  fairs.  You  can  there  often  get 
valuable  information.  But  if  there  is  no  interest  taken  in  this  subject 
go  to  work  and  show  its  importance,  and  let  the  people  know  the  great 
advantages  of  improved  bee  culture  over  old  methods. 

OCTOBER. 

Except  in  the  South  complete  all  arrangements  for  winter  early  this 
month,  and  there  where  the  honey  flow  ceases.  See  that  each  hive  has 
proper  absorbing  material  above,   holes  in   the  caps  to  give   upward 


MO::sTHLy    MANAGEMENT  197 

ventilation,  the  entrances  contracted  so  as  to  keep  out  mice,  and  all  snug 
for  winter.  Spare  combs  should  be  carefully  preserved  and  laid  away 
for  use  in  the  spring.  Small  and  queenless  colonies  should  be  united, 
"winter  passages  made,  old  queens  superseded,  and  young  ones  intro- 
duced. Queens  may  be  reared  thus  late  by  keeping  one  strong  colony 
queenless,  so  that  it  will  re'ain  drones  for  fertilization. 

Some  stocks  if  not  extracted  may  have  too  much  honey.  If  so  equal- 
ize them  by  exchanging  with  some  poorer  colony,  and  see  that  some 
empty  comb  is  left  near  the  bottom  of  the  central  frames  for  clustering. 
In  modern  climates  sufficient  passage  is  given  from  comb  to  comb  for 
winter  by  laying  a  stick  an  inch  in  diameter  across  the  frames,  under  the 
quilt,  but  in  cold  climates  both  this  and  holes  in  the  comb  are  recom- 
mended. Kemember  that  the  essentials  of  good  wintenng  are,  a  plenty 
of  young  bees  with  a  fertile  queen,  an  abundance  of  good  sealed  honey 
easily  accessible,  and  warmth  with  proper  ventilation. 

A  good  cotton  quilt  with  three  or  four  thicknesses  of  batting,  makes 
perhaps,  as  good  as  any  obsorbing  material,  It  is  light  and  may  be 
easily  removed  for  feeding  or  for  examination. 

To  unite  bees  smoke  them  thoroughly  and  sprinkle  them  with  sweeten- 
ed water,  strongly  scented  vnth  anise  or  peppermint,  and  either  shake 
the  bees  altogether  into  an  empty  box,  using  as  many  of  the  best  combs 
as  are  necessary  in  the  new  hive,  and  then  pour  the  bees  at  the  entrance 
of  the  hive,  or  after  smoking  and  sprinkling  well  put  one  frame  alter- 
nately from  each  hive  into  the  new  hive,  brushing  all  the  bees  off  at  the 
extrance  and  set  this  new  hive  in  an  intermediate  position  between 
the  two. 

If  any  boxes  have  remained  on  till  this  month  they  should  be  now 
removed  and  packed  as  neatly  as  possible  in  crates  with  glass  sides,  as 
Tecommended  under  the  head  of  ' '  Crates. "     If  your  honey  is  extracted 


198  NOVEMBEK. 

drain  o£f  any  thin  honey  on  the  top  of  your  jar  or  bottle.  Seal  it  up 
neatly,  labeling  it  with  your  name,  apiary,  and  kind  of  honey,  and  then 
sell  as  conveniently  to  your  ownhome  as  you  can  to  advantage.  It  is  al- 
ways well  to  let  the  people  know  the  superiority  of  honey  gathered  by  im- 
proved methods  so  as  to  build  up  a  local  trade  and  increase  consumptioh. 
Boxes  of  comb  honey  should  be  packed  rather  tight  in  crates.  In  mak- 
ing large  shipments  it  is  best  to  attend  the  car  to  see  that  they  are  handled 
safely.  Small  amounts  may  be  sent  securely  in  shipping  boxes  in  which 
the  crates  are  supported  on  small  v.ire  coil  springs  or  rubber  tubing. 

NOVEMBER. 

The  honey  season  is  now  over,  and  all  the  hives  should  have  been  pre- 
pared for  winter,  but  if  a  few  have  been  neglected  they  may  be  so  prepared 
on  some  warm  day  in  this  month.  If  hives  are  to  be  taken  indoors  they 
should  not  be  carried  in  before  the  cold  weather  has  set  in  in  earnest,  or 
it  may  be  necessary  to  return  them  to  their  summer  stands  because  of 
uneasiness.  The  later  they  are  housed  the  better,  provided  the  weather 
coDtinues  open,  so  that  the  bees  can  fly  and  void  their  feces.  It  is 
better  to  take  them  in  the  day  after  they  have  flown  freely.  Before  cold 
weather  sets  in,  colonies  to  be  wintered  on  summer  stands,  should  be 
packed  with  absorbing  material,  and  given  upward  ventilation  through  it. 

In  the  far  South  some  parts  of  October  management  best  suits  this 
month.  Unite  all  weak  stocks  after  smoking  well,  as  recommended 
last  month.  They  will  not  fight  much  now  when  united.  See  that  all 
unused  hives  or  implements  are  carefully  housed  for  the  winter. 

DECEMBER: 

This  should  be  a  month  of  repose  with  the  bees.  Less  brood  is  reared 
in  November  and  December  than  in  any  other  part  of  the  year.     Now  is 


MONTHLi'    MANAGEMENT  l'J9 

the  time  to  study  the  bee  business,  prepare  hives,  crates  and  boxes,  and 
all  necessary  implements.  Decide  with  regard  to  setting  out  shade  trees 
for  their  honey  qualities,  orchards,  and  cultivation  of  honey  crops  so  as 
to  be  able  to  secure  seed  or  young  trees  for  planting  when  the  time 
comes.  See  that  hives  are  protected  from  cold  winds,  and  occasionally 
clear  the  dead  bees  from  the  bottom  board.  As  in  January,  keep  the 
bees  quiet  as  possible. 

"We  would  advise  beginners  especially  to  study  carefully  this  Monthly 
Management,  and  use  practical  good  sense  in  following  it,  accord- 
ing to  climate,  the  particular  season,  and  the  honey  flow  at  the  time. 
In  bee-keeping  it  is  of  the  first  importance  that  the  right  thing  be  done 
at  the  right  time. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


HIVES. 

The  value  of  a  hive  depends  upon  its  size,  shape,  and  the 
advantages  secured  in  its  construction. 

SIZE. 

Experience  has  demonstrated  that,  as  a  general  rule,  when  we 
vary  from  the  correct  size,  the  larger  the  hive  the  fewer  swarms 
we  get,  ar  d  the  smaller  the  hive,  the  smaller  the  swarms  will  be, 
and  the  greater  the  danger  of  over-swarming.  A  hive  should 
contain  about  two  thousand  cubic  inches,  in  the  clear.  A  stock 
m  a  hive  of  this  size,  will  swarm  more  regularly  than  from  a 
larger  one,  and  store  more  surplus  honey.  "While,  if  the  hive 
be  much  smaller,  the  colony  will  often  fail  to  lay  up  provisions 
enough  for  our  long  winters.  All  the  hives  should  be  made  of 
the  same  size,  as  a  very  large  swarm  will  usually  be  no  larger, 
after  a  few  months,  than  one  of  medium  size,  while  a  small 
swarm  may  be  as  large  as  any  at  the  end  of  the  season,  much 
depending  upon  its  having  a  prohfic  queen,  good  weather  ai*/? 
abundant  pasturage. 

SHAPE. 

Upon  the  shape  of  the  hive,  depends  the  economy  of  heat  for 
breeding,  and  safety  in  wintering.     If  a  hive  of  proper  size  be 


HIVES.  2C1 

too  high,  less  box  honey  is  obtained ;  but  if  too  shallow,  it  not 
only  takes  more  workers  to  cover  the  lower  part  of  the  combs, 
to  protect  them  from  the  moth,  and  keep  up  the  required  hea* 
for  breedmg,  but  the  winter  stores  are  scattered  over  so  large  a 
surface,  and  of  so  httle  depth,  that  although  the  heat  arising 
from  the  swarm  will  keep  the  honey  warm  directly  above  the 
bees,  they  soon  consume  that  to  the  top  of  the  hive.  Wher 
this  happens  in  very  cold  weather,  if  there  are  no  holes  througt 
the  combs,  the  bees  die  of  starvation,  as  it  is  certain  death  foi 
them  to  venture  around  the  edge  of  the  frosty  combs  by  which 
they  are  surrounded.  Hence,  swarms  often  perish  with  ample 
stores  in  the  hive.  For  these  evident  reasons,  we  would  recommend 
that  frames  be  long  and  shallow  in  warm  climates,  and  deeper  and 
shorter  according  to  climate,  approximating  to  a  square  where  it  becomes 
very  cold. 

More  box  honey  can  be  secured  with  shallow  frames,  both  because 
■there  is  more  surface  for  boxes,  and  because  bees  store  more  readily  near 
thebroodnest.  But  this  advantage  is  counterbalanced  in  cold  climates 
by  the  greater  depth  for  wintering,  the  greater  ease  of  extracting,  and 
the  greater  depth  for  boxes  beside  the  broodnest  when  shorter  and 
deeper  frames  are  used. 

"  THE  ADVANTAGES  SECURED   IN  THE   CONSTRUCTION  OF  HIVES." 

Centuries  ago,  intelligent  men  were  convinced  that,  if  complete 
control  of  the  hees  and  combs  could  be  obtained,  bee-keeping 
must  become  a  sure  and  systematized  business,  both  pleasant  and 
profitable.  The  practice  of  murdering  whole  colonies,  with  the 
brimstone  match,  for  their  stores,  was  gradually  abandoned  by 
th<}  introduction   of  surplus  honey  boxes,   with  glass  p''^*>«»    io 


202  ORIGIN    OF    MOVABLE-FRAMES. 

which  the  bees  would  store  their  tempting  sweets  in  the  most 
beautiful  and  marketable  form.  Yet  bee  culture  still  bore  the' 
stigma  of  a  business  of  "  ZwcA;  and  chance,^^  or  working  'in  the 
dark,  and  all  attempts  at  improvement  were  failures,  as  there 
were  no  facihties  for  examining  the  interior  of  the  hive  to  learn 
:he  cause  of  or  apply  a  remedy  for  any  defect  that  might  there 
exist.  But  "necessity  is  the  mother  of  invention."  This  dark- 
ness was  first  gradually  dispelled,  in  Europe,  by  the  invention  of 
a  movable -comb  hive,  called  the  "Leaf  Hive,"  by  Francis  Huber, 
of  Geneva,  as  early  as  1795. 

It  had  long  been  known,  that  bees  would  start  and  build  their 
combs  with  considerable  regularity  from  strips  placed  across  the 
top  of  the  hive,  by  which  the  combs  oould  be  lifted  out  by 
cutting  loose  their  side  attachments  from  the  hive.  These  "  bars  " 
led  to  "bar  frames,"  which  are  most  briefly  described  in  Mr. 
Langstroth's  Patent,  referred  to  in  note  on 
page  140,  in  which  he  shows  that  he  is  the 
inventor  of  the  shallow  chamber  and  some 
other  features  connected  therewith,  which 
will  be  understood  by  the  descriptions 
^9.  Taylor's  Frame.  wMch   he   givcs  of  prcvious   Inveutious, 

which  we  abbreviate  as  follows :  The  Huber  frame  consisted  of 
sections,  the  top  and  side  bars  fitting  close  together,  with  no 
honey  receptacles  above,  but  the  necessity  of  cutting  the  side 
attachments  of  the  comb  was  obviated. 

W.  Augustus  Munn,  Esq.,  invented  the  "bar  and  frame  hive," 
and  published  a  description  of  it  in  London,  in  1844.  In  1851, 
he  pubhshed  a  second  edition  of  his  pampluet,  in  which,  describ 
ing^  hia   "improved    hive,"    he    says    he  has   "very  materially 


HIVES. 


20.7 


simplified  the  construction  of  the  bar  and  frame  hive,  by  forming 
the  oblong  bar-frames  into  triangular 
frames,  and  making  them  lift  out  at  tlie 
top  instead  of  the  back  of  the  bee-box." 
M.  Debeauvoy  published  the  second  edi- 
tion of  his  "Guide  del  Apiculteur,"  as 
early  as  1847,  in  which  he  describes  his 
10.  Oblong  Mann  Frame.  movablc  framcs  with  uarrow  tops  and  side 
bars,  the  tops  fitting  closely  to  the  honey-board  above,  and  the 
sides  to  the  walls  of  the  hive.  In  1851,  he  pubhshed  his  third 
edition  in  Paris,  in  which  he  describes  his  new  frames,  having 
their  sides  at  suitable  distances  from  the  bottom  and  walls  of  the 
hive,  with  the  tops  fitting  closely  together,  but  still  in  connection 
with  a  honey-board  above  the  top  bars.  Thus,  movable-comb 
frames  were  much  improved  and  used  in  many  parts  of  Europe^ 
by  Huber,  Debeauvoy,  Munn,  Taylor,  Bevan,  Golding,  Huish, 
Dzierzon  and  others,  while  the  "  brimstone  match  "  bore  sway 
in  America.  But,  the  key  to  successful  bee-keeping  once  found^ 
nothing  could  stop  its  progress.  The  bounds  of  the  Atlantic 
were  passed,  and  many  in  our  country  became  acquainted  with 
Huber's  "  Leaf  Hive  "  and  movable-comb  system. 

HIVE    ESSENTIALS. 

There  are  now  made  many  good  movable  comb  hives  among  which  the 
beginner  should  make  choice,  and  have  all  the  hives  in  the  apiary  made 
just  alike,  so  that  any  frame  or  any  part  of  a  hive  will__fit  any  other  hive. 
Exact  workmanship  is  of  the  first  importance.  There  is  now  no  patent 
on  any  important  part  of  movable  comb  hives,  and  any  person  can 


'204.  HIVES. 

make  plain  wooden  ones  as  he  desires.  Perhaps  the  best  way  is,  for 
each  beginner,  if  unable  to  make  his  own  hives  and  boxes,  to  get  such 
good  hives  as  are  manufactured  most  convenient  to  him,  and  at  the 
best  rates  from  good  lumber. 

We  recommend  simple  stands  made  of  a  bottom  board  the  width  of 
the  hive  and  four  or  five  inches  longer  for  an  alighting  board.  This 
should  be  nailed  to  2x4  inch  strips  so  as  to  place  the  hives  near  the 
ground.  The  hive  should  be  hinged  on  the  back  end  of  this,  to  be 
raised  for  cleaning  off  the  bottom  board.  The  frames  should  hang  on 
metal  stips  one-fourth  of  an  inch  above  the  edge  of  the  rabbits  to  pre 
vent  killing  bees  when  handling  them,  and  also  to  prevent  the  ends  of 
the  frames  from  being  glued  down  too  tightly  with  propolis.  The  alight- 
ing board  should  slant  from  the  front,  that  overladen  bees  may  craw^ 
in  when  blown  down  by  the  wind. 

"We  recommend  that  the  cap  be  of  the  same  frame  dimensions  as  the 
iDody  of  the  hive  so'  as  to  be  used  as  a  double  hive — with  two  tiers  of 
frames  for  extracting  if  desired.  The  top  should  be  one  solid  board 
with  good  cleats  underneath,  or  if  made  of  two  pieces  the  boards  should 
be  well  seasoned  and  tongued  and  groved  and  glued  to  prevent  leaking. 

Formerly  honey  boards  were  used  above  the  frames  to  hold  surplus 
boxes,  but  they  are  difl&cult  to  make  and  not  so  convenient  as  quilts. 
These  should  be  made  from  a  simple  sheet  of  ducking  or.  other  firm 
material  in  which  the  bees  will  not  gnaw  holes.  Thej'  should  be  a  little 
larger  than  the  space  to  be  covered,  so  as  to  tuck  down  well  and  cover 
the  bees,  and  the  cloth  be  well  shrunk  before  making,  lest  they  become 
too  small  after  using  for  a  time.  They  should  be  hemmed  and  in  the 
centre  of  each  a  small  hole  for  feeding,  covered  with  a  flap,  which  is 
Taised  only  when  needed.  Honey  boxes  may  be  set  directly  on  the  tops 
•of  the  frames,  or  better  upon  strips  resting  on  the  frames,  and  the  quilt 


SIYB  ESSENTIALS.  205 

tucked  around  them  to  keep  in  the  heat.  When  sections  are  used  in 
wide  frames  they  should  be  closed  at  the  side  with  a  follower  which  may 
be  tied  or  held  in  place  by  a  foot  piece  which  prevents  its  falling  over. 
Perhaps  the  best  way  to  manage  boxes  is  to  place  them  in  wide  two 
inch  frames.  These  may  be  either  of  the  dimensions  of  the  regular 
frame  or  half  the  depth  so  as  to  hold  only  one  row  of  small  boxes.  Two 
tiers  of  the  latter  are  used  at  the  sides  of  the  broodnest  and  one  or  two 
above,  as  desired  or  as  seems  necessary.     (See  "Honey  Boxes,"  p.  56.) 

These  wide  frames  which  hold  the  honey  boxes  of  the  same  width 
have  on  one  side  strips  of  tin  wide  enough  to  leave  passages  for  the 
bees  at  the  bottom  and  top  into  the  honey  boxes  of  one-fourth  to  three- 
eights  of  an  insh.  By  this  means  the  comb  is  secured  accurately  in 
boxes  which  may  afterwards  be  covered  with  glass  or  not,  as  prefered 
and  packed  uniformly  in  crates  to  suit  the  market 

Two  close  fitting  division  boards  should  belong  to  each  hive  for  con- 
tracting it  when  necessary  and  to  be  used  in  packing  for  winter.  When 
not  needed  below  they  can  be  hung  in  the  upper  box.  Narrow  strips 
of  heavy  wood  having  one  end  cut  diagonally  make  excellent  entrance 
blocks. 

The  bee-keeper  should  make  his  hives  during  winter  when  not  pressed 
with  work,  and  have  a  full  supply  of  boxes,  and  crate?,  or  barrels  on 
hand  when  the  honey  season  opens.  It  is  too  late  to  make  them  when 
the  bees  begin  to  need  attention.  Success  depends  greatly  in  pro- 
vidence for  the  busy  time,  and  prompt  attention  when  demanded  in 
the  apiary. 

PAINTING     AND    CLOUDING    HIVES. 

Hives  should  be  painted  as  soon  as  made,  and  three  or  four  weeks 
before  being  used,  as  the  smell  of  fresh  paint  is  offensive  to  the  bees. 
They  may  be  painted  every  shade  of  color,  for  the  sake^  of  variety,  but 


206 

red  is  most  apt  to  be  noticed  from  a  distance,  while  white  or  clouded 
looks  best  near  by.  To  cloud  a  hive,  paint  it  white,  and  while  the  last 
coat  is  fresh,  place  the  hive  in  a  horizontal  position,  passing  under  it  the 
smoke  and  blaze  of  a  lamp  with  a  small  round  wick.  If  the  clouding  be 
done  in  a  room  out  of  the  wind,  with  a  little  practice  the  hives  may  be 
made  to  resemble  marble,  and  are  very  ornamental,  although  it  costg 
nothing  for  material,  and  can  be  done  in  five  minutes. 

OBSEKVTNa   HIVES. 

Nearly  all  of  the  facts  in  the  physiology  of  the  honey  bee  may  bi 
tested  bv  having  a  glass  kive,  with  a  single  comb  taken  from  a  full  hiva 
in  the  parlor,  office  or  sitting  room.  If  more  than  one  comb  is  used 
some  of  the  operations  will  be  hid  and  the  queen  will  often  be  between 
them  and  invisible.  Observing  hives  are  of  little  use  with  more  than  one 
frame.  The  bottom  should  be  made  of  thick  board  four  inches  wide 
Bore  a  hole  in  one  end  of  this,  so  as  to  open  up  into  the  hive  and  make  a 
small  ventilator,  and  cover  it  with  wire  cloth.  The  two  sides  should 
"be  of  glass,  two  inches  apart,  sliding  into  rabbets  in  the  ends.  The 
queen  may  be  seen  depositing  eggs  in  such  a  hive,  without  danger,  and  if 
a  comb  with  eggs,  brood,  and  bees  from  an  ordinary  hive  be  given,  the 
whole  operation  of  forming  queen  cells,  and  rearing  queens  can  be  seen. 
The  bottom  board  should  extend  three  or  four  inches  in  front,  so  that 
the  bees  enter  from  without  the  room. 

THE  CIRCULAR   HAW. 

One  of  the  absolute  necessities  about  the  apiary  is  a  circular  saw.  It 
may  be  run  by  foot  power  if  the  number  of  colonies  is  small,  but  for 
over  twenty  colonies,  some  other  power  will  be  required.     Unless  one  is 


THE  CIBCTJLAR    SAW.  207 

in  the  business  pretty  extensively  he  cau  buy  the  section  frames  more 
cheaply  than  he  can  make  them,  but  even  when  these  are  bought,  the 
savr  is  indispensible  for  cutting  out  fmmes,  hives,  and  the  multitude  of 
small  pieces  that  are  constantly  needed.  The  saw  being  so  useful,  in 
this  section,  we  propose  to  give  some  directions  for  managing  it  so  as  to 
have  it  work  satisfactorily. 

In  the  first  place  it  is  necessary  that  the  saw  should  be  perfectly  round. 
It  should  be  screwed  on  to  the  mandrel,  and  a  mark  pnt  on  both,  so  that 
always  afterward  it  may  be  replaced  in  exactly  the  same  position,  if  it 
is  ever  required  to  be  removed.  Now,  the  mandrel  should  be  placed  in 
its  bearings,  and  the  belt  put  on,  so  that  it  may  be  just  tight  enough  not 
to  slip.  Next  an  emery  wheel  shoiUd  be  laid  upon  the  table  over 
the  saw  slot,  and  then  the  table  must  be  lowered  until  just  the  points  of 
any  teeth  that  may  be  longer  than  others  will  touch  as  the  saw  is  turned. 
The  saw  must  be  run  and  the  table  lowered  gradually  till  every  tooth 
touches,  when  the  saw  will  be  round.  The  emery  stone  will  not  be  in- 
jured, nor  will  the  saw  either,  even  if  some  teeth  are  ground  off  blunt. 
The  point  does  the  cutting,  and  if  that  is  sharp,  it  does  not  matter  how 
broad  the  tooth  is.  Next  the  saw  is  to  be  filed.  The  ripper  can  be 
filed  best  with  a  cant  file.  [See  cut  Fig.  1.]  Large  enough  to  fit  the  teeth 


Fig.  1. 
of  the  saw,  which  by  the  way,  must  be  as  small  for  the  size  of  the  saw  as 
they  are  ever  made.  The  cross-cut,  is  filed  with  the  ordinary  three- 
cornered  file.  The  filing  must  be  done  entirely  on  the  under  side  of 
the  tooth,  and  should  not  be  continued  after  the  point  is  sharp.  The 
under  side  of  each  tooth  of  the  ripper  should  have  the  direction  of  a 
tangent  to  a  circle  of  half  the  diameter  of  the  saw,  and  if  the  cross-cut 


208  HIYES. 

of  one-third  the  diameter.  Fig.  2  will  illustrate  the  meaning.  The 
teeth  on  the  left  are  correctly  filed  ,  the  others  incorrectly.  The  teeth 
may  be  filed  slightly  flairing  by  holding  the  file  obliquely,  especially 
of  the  cross-cut,  as  they  are  to  be  used  generally  in  soft  wood.  The 
next  operation  is  setting.     This  may  be  done  with  the  ordinary  saw-set, 


Fig.  2. 
made  much  like  a  knife  with  notches  of  different  widths  along  the  edge 
for  bending  the  teeth;  but  a  beginner  will  generally  succeed  best  with 
one  of  the  various  patent  affairs  containing  a  gauge.  "Whatever  is  used 
the  set  must  be  as  little  as  possible — ^just  bending  the  point  of  the  te©tli 
outside  the  plane  of  the  saw  as  in  Fig.  3.  So  that  the  end  of  the  kerf  is 
A 


square  across,  and  not  containing  a  point  in  the  middle,  as  in  Fig,  4. 


Fig.  4. 

However  carefully  the  saw  may  be  set,  the  teeth  will  probably  not  axl 
get  exactly  the  same  amount  of  bending;  so  to  make  them  perfectly 
even  the  saw  must  next  be  jointed.     This  is  done  by  turning  it  back- 


FOITL  BBOOD.  209 

ward  and  holding  an  oil  stone  first  against  one  side  and  then  the  other. 
Next  the  saw  is  to  be  tried,  to  see  if  it  is  just  right.  It  ought  now  to  cut 
rapidly,  straight  and  smoothly — every  cut  a  glue  joint.  If  it  does  not 
run  straight— either  drawing  the  board  away  from  the  gauge  or  wedging 
it  so  tightly  as  to  stop — the  trouble  is  either  with  the  saw  or  the  guage. 
Look  at  the  end  of  the  saw  kerf,  if  it  is  pointed  on  one  side  or  the  other, 
the  teeth  on  the  pointed  side  are  too  long,  and  they  must  be  filed  again 
and  thus  shortened.  If  the  kerf  is  square  across,  the  trouble  is  with 
the  guage.  It  must  be  made  exactly  parallel  with  the  saw.  If  the 
further  end  is  nearer  the  saw  than  the  other,  the  piece  will  wedge ;  if 
nearer,  the  work  can  not  be  held  close  to  the  guage.  The  table  should 
be  raised  so  that  the  teeth  just  reach  through  the  piece  sawed. 

There  ought  to  be  a  pretty  heavy  fly  wheel  connected  with  the  saw> 
and  as  much  diflference  between  the  size  of  the  driving  wheel  and  the 
pully  of  the  mandrel  as  convenient,  so  as  to  obtain  as  much  speed  as 
possible;  But  any  arrangement  of  geared  wheels  to  obtain  speed  is  not 
satisfactory. 

FOUIi   BBOOD, 

This  is  a  disease  which,  as  its  name  indicates,  attacks  the  brood,  and 
soon  destroys  a  colony  by  preventing  any  brood  from  coming  to 
maturity.  "We  are  thankful  that  personally  we  know  nothing  of  this 
disease.  Those  who  have  suffered  from  it  pronounce  it  very  fatal,  though 
there  seems  to  be  several  phases  of  the  disease ;  some  far  more  fatal  than 
others.  The  disease  is  contagious ,  like  small  pox  or  cholera  and  like 
these  is  propagated  by  very  small  spores  or  germs,  which  attack  brood  and 
destroy  it.  To  check  or  cure  this  disease  the  fimgus  growth  must  be 
destroyed. 

Salicylic  acid  has,  by  experiment  in  Germany   been  found  to  be  des- 


210  FEETILIZATION  IN  CONFINEMENT. 

tructive  to  this  foreign  growth,  if  properly  applied.  Yet  some,  among 
whom  is  John  Hunter,  state  that  it  has  failed  with  them  in  effecting 
a  cure. 

From  what  we  have  been  able  to  learn  of  the  disease,  we  believe  that 
the  ordinary  type  may  be  cured  by  the  application  of  the  acid  as  recom- 
mended by  Mr.  Muth,  of  Cincinnati,  as  follows:  Make  a  solution  of 
128  grains  of  salicylic  acid,  128  grains  soda  borax,  16  ounces  of  water, 
[distillled  preferred.]  Spray  this  solution  on  the  combs  containing 
brood,  after  uncapping  cells  that  are  sealed.  The  solution  does  not  in- 
jure the  bees,  but  seems  to  kill  the  spores  of  the  disease.  The  spores 
find  their  way  into  the  honey  and  the  disease  is  spread  among  bees  that 
eat  of  the  honey  from  an  afiected  hive.  Doubtless  robber  bees  help  to 
scatter  the  disease .  It  is  well  in  severe  cases  to  remove  the  bees  from 
the  honey  for  three  or  four  days  and  then  place  them  in  another  hive. 
Kemove  all  affected  combs  to  a  single  hive.  If  possible  remove  the 
queen,  and  the  bees  will  clear  out  the  combs.  If  it  is  desirable,  sprinkle 
a  second  time  with  the  salicylic  acid  mixture.  But  in  case  the  disease 
seems  to  be  of  a  very  malignant  type  it  may  be  best,  if  this  remedy  fails, 
and  the  bees  deprived  of  their  queen  do  not  clean  uj)  the  comb,  to  drive 
out  the  bees  and  after  three  or  four  days  put  them  into  new  hives,  and 
then  use  the  heroic  treatment;  burjdng  all  the  affected  combs  and 
thoroughly  washing  the  hives  with  some  disinfectant  before  being  used. 

FEBTILIZATION   IN    CONFINEMENT. 

As  queens  are  fertilized  on  tne  wing,  every  person  who  has  reared 
Italian  queens  knows  the  difficulty  of  getting  them  purely  mated,  as  they 
often  meet  black  drones  from  distant  apiaries.  This  troiible  interferes 
much  with  the  business  ef  queen  rearing,  since  the  bee  master  must 
wait  several  weeks  to  test  the  purity  of  a  queen  before  sending  her  out, 


rEEYIIilZATION  IN   CONFINEMENT.  211 

or  else  sell  merely  as  a  fertile  queen,  at  a  reduced  price.  The  desirabili. 
ty  of  fertilization  in  confinement,  so  as  to  be  certain  of  purity,  has  been 
long  felt,  but  has.  until  recently  been  considered  impossible,  and  even 
now  some  are  too  incredulous  to  accept  a  fact,  ^'because  I  have  not  done  it.' 

Mrs.  Tupper  announced  her  success  at  artificial  fertilization  some 
years  ago,  but  being  pressed  by  business  cares — almost  broken  hearted — 
and  besides  ridiculed  for  her  statements,  she  did  not  fully  carry  out  her 
experiments.  She  communicated  her  experience  to  others,  who  also 
reported  success  in  a  number  of  cases,  when  the  proper  condition* 
were  secured. 

Mr.  Jno.  F.  Lafferty,  of  Illinois,  states  that  he  has  many  times  suc- 
ceeded in  sending  out  queens  to  mate  by  giving  light  on  a  bright  day, 
-when  she  is  two  or  three  days  old.  The  trouble  in  all  attempts  at  artifi- 
cial fertilization  seems  to  be  in  ascertaining  just  when  the  queen  is 
ready  to  meet  the  drone . 

Many  things  indicate  that  the  subject  is  about  meeting  with  a  success- 
ful solution.  One  of  our  progressive  appiarians  informs  me  that  he  has 
this  year  sueceeded,  not  only  in  fertilizing  his  queens  in  confinement, 
but  also  in  selecting  the  drone  with  which  they  shall  mate.  He  has 
described  to  us  the  process  which  is  very  simple  and  practicable,  but  as 
he  is  already  booked  for  a  paper  on  "  Fertilization  in  Confinement "  at  the 
National  Convention,  in  October  next,  he  will  then  make  known  his  sys- 
tem to  the  public.  So  much  progress  has  been  made  in  seemingly  im- 
possible matters,  it  seems  strange  that  lovers  of  the  art  would,  by  un- 
timely derision,  check  needed  experiments  and  progrees. 


CHAPTER     X. 


BIOGRAPHY    OF    BEE-KEEPERS. 


BeKeving  it  a  subject  of  interest  to  most  bee-keepers,  we  devote  this 
chapter  to  a  brief  sketch  of  several  persons  whose  labors  have  helped  to 
advance  the  cause  of  apistic  science  in  modern  times. 

Foremost  of  all  stands  Francis  Huber,  who  was  born  at  Geneva,  in 
1750.  He  is  noted  for  many  wonderful  experiments  and  discoveries  in 
the  natural  history,  physical  economy,  and  habits  of  the  honey  bee.  By 
nature  a  clear  and  close  observer,  he  was  so  assiduous  in  his  duties  that 
he  lost  his  eye  sight  in  early  life.  But  nothing  daunted,  with  wonderful 
perseverance,  he  continued  his  researches,  using  the  eyes  of  his  faithful 
servant,  Francis  Bernens,  for  making  observations.  In  1795  he  invent- 
ed and  used  his  Leaf  Hive,  which  consisted  of  eight  close  fitting  sections 
or  frames,  opening  out  on  hinges,  like  the  leaves  of  a  book.  (Doubtless 
his  idea  of  combs  in  sections  was  derived  from  the  observation  hives 
used  by  naturalists  in  his  day,  and  improvements  on  the  Grecian  hive 
having  top  bars  and  comb  guides  as  described  by  Abbe  Delia  Becca,  in 
his  publication,  in  Paris,  in  1790). 

The  results  of  Huber's  experiments  may  be  summed  up  under  four 
heads: 

First.  As  to  Eggs. — That  the  queen  lays  two  kinds  of  eggg.     One  kind 


SIOOBAPHY  OF  BS£-£££PZB1. 


213 


FRANCIS    HUBER. 


214  BIOGKAPHY  OF  BEE-KEEPEES. 

— unfecundated — which  produces  males  or  drones.  The  other— fertilized 
— which  produces  workers,  and  these — when  developed  with  royal  jelly 
in  queen  cells — produce  perfect  females  or  queens. 

Second.  As  to  Queens. — That  they  are  the  only  perfect  females;  that 
they  leave  the  hive  early  in  life  to  meet  the  drones  on  the  wing ;  that 
they  are  incapable  of  fertilization  after  the  third  week  of  life,  and  ever 
after  lay  only  drone  eggs;  that  one  impregnation  lasts  for  life,  after 
which  they  lay  eggs  regularly  arranged  in  the  comb,  one  egg  in  each, 
cell ;  that  workers  which  have  been  partially  fed  on  royal  jelly  some- 
times lay  eggs,  but  irregularly  and  only  such  as  produce  drones.  He 
exploded  the  idea  that  workers  were  neuters,  proving  them  to  be  un. 
developed  females. 

Third.  As  to  Pollen.  —That  pollen  is  the  natural  food  of  young  bees 
or  larvae,  when  prepared  by  the  nursing  bees;  that  without  it  brood 
cannot  be  reared,  and  that  honey  is  the  chief  food  of  the  mature  bees . 

Fourth.  That  wax  is  a  secretion  from  the  body  of  the  bee,  and  not 
gathered  as  previously  supposed.  That  it  is  made  chiefly  from  the  sac- 
charine part  of  honey. 

As  his  views  were  received  and  adopted,  others  were  led  to  improve 
on  the  Leaf  Hive.  First,  by  changing  the  shape  of  the  edges  to  prevent 
the  destruction  of  bees  in  shutting  the  leaves,  then  by  arrangements  for 
elevating  one  frame  at  a  time  into  a  glass  case  for  examination,  then  by 
using  the  simple  bar,  after  the  Grecian  method,  lifted  from  the  top  of 
the  hive.  Then  with  bar  and  frames  on  the  principle  of  a  hive  within  a 
hive  modified  and  improved  as  found  to-day  among  apiarians. 

Naturally  bars  led  to  frames.  Huber  obviated  the  necessity  of  cutting 
the  comb  loose  by  having  it  built  in  sections  of  the  hive.  But  for  practi" 
cal  reasons  the  bar  and  frame  was  soon  used  within  boxes  answering 
the  same  purpose. 


BIOGBAPHT  OF  BEE-KEEPEBS.  215 

Henry  Taylor,  whose  "  Manual  of  Bee-keeping  "  was  first  publLshed 
in  1838,  describes  a  frame  like  the  cut  on  page  197,  in  which  uprights 
were  used  inside  the  hive  to  prevent  bees  from  attaching  combs  to  the 
hive. 

Major  William  Augustus  Munn,  so  well  known  as  the  author  of  the 
revised  edition  of  Dr.  Bevan's  booJs  on  the  honey  bee,  as  earlj'  as  1844, 
described  his  box  with  oblong  bar  and  frame.  He  invented  it  in  1834, 
at  twenty-four  years  of  age,  and  after  nine  years  of  trial  took  out  letters 
patent  in  Paris,  in  1843.  This  was  for  a  box  and  frame  similar  to 
those  now  in  use.  (See  page  198.^  In  184-1  he  described  them  fully  in 
a  pamphlet  published  in  London,  and  in  1851  it  was  fully  exhibited  at 
the  great  fair  in  London.  In  1852  Mr.  Langstroth  took  out  letters 
patent  in  America,  somewhat  simplyfying  the  same  principles.  About 
the  same  time  Dzierzon,  in  Germany  invented  his  new  hive .  Each 
seemingly  independent  of  the  other  adopted  similar  hives. 

Major  Munn  was  a  genial,  hospitable  English  gentleman  of  intelli- 
gence. Being  an  enthusiast  on  bee-culture,  he  spent  much  time  in 
studying  the  nature  and  habits  of  bess.  Like  Quinby  he  vrtote  much 
on  the  subject  for  agricultural  and  other  papei-s.  His  most  lasting  work 
is  the  revised  edition  of  Dr.  Bevan's  great  work  on  the  honey  bee — the 
most  scientific  work  ever  written  on  bees  in  England. 

Eobert  Huish,  who  pubHshed  his  book  on  bees  in  1840  and  1844.  was 
a  man  of  the  highest  culture  and  ability,  a  member  of  the  Academy  of 
Arts  and  Sciences,  at  Gollingen,  and  honorary  member  of  the  Natural 
Institute  of  France.  He  seemed  to  have  loved  bees  and  bee-culture,  but 
his  work  is  interesting  chiefly  as  illustrating  the  folly  of  theories  not 
based  on  close  observation.  His  book  seems  to  have  been  written  mainly 
to  attack  Huber  and  his  theories.     It  shows  how  truth  alone  will  survive 


216 


BIOGRAPHY   or  BEE-KEEPEBS. 


COPyRiaHT,t876,BY  J.H.NELLlii  &  BRO.,  PUBLISHERS, CANAJOHARIE,  N.V. 


y1. 


y 


O^^cA^ 


BIOOBAPHT  OF  BEE-KEEPEK8.  '217 

while  attacks  upon  it  must  suffer.    Among  English  apiarians  Golding, 
Hunter,  Neighbor,  Pettit  and  Cotton  deserve  favorable  mention. 

Moses  Quinby,  of  New  York,  was  eminently  practical  in  his  efforts 
and  writings;  the  direct  aim  of  which  was  to  raise  bee-keeping  to  the 
dignity  of  a  distinct  and  successful  business  pursuit.  His  "  Mysteries 
of  Bee-keeping  "  is  the  result  of  twenty  years  of  careful  observation  and 
practice,  suggested  and  guided  by  Dr.  Bevan's  book.  It  was  first  pub- 
lished in  1853,  almost  simultaneous  with  Mr.  Langstroth's  book,  and 
what  seemed  remarkable  at  the  time,  they  agreed  on  almost  all  the 
wond  rous  facts  concerning  bees,  so  much  at  variance  with  the  received 
notions.  This  book,  with  its  revised  edition  of  1865,  was  eminently  prac 
tical,  carrying  it  even  to  a  fault.  His  mode  of  management  for  common 
box  hives  was  beneficial  in  its  day ;  but  now,  when  all  progressive  bee- 
keepers want  the  movable  comb  hives,  this  becomes  a  great  fault  in  the 
book.  The  amount  of  quiet  work  done  by  him  gratuitously  in  receiving 
and  instructing  visitors,  in  answering  letters  and  enquiries,  besides 
regular  contributions  to  the  press  on  his  favorite  subject,  is  amazing.  A 
man  of  genial  presence,  of  kind  and  generous  impulses,  and  possessed 
of  true  kindness  of  heart;  he  is  much  missed  by  bee-keepers  of  our  land, 
and  especially  by  those  of  his  native  State,  who  looked  to  him  as  their 
leader  and  guide.  Many  regret  that  he  was  not  spared  to  complete  a 
work  which  he  contemplated  on  advanced  bee-culture.  The  Quinby 
Hive,  though  extreme  in  size,  was  most  successful  under  his  manage- 
ment. He  is  especially  known  as  the  inventor  of  the  Quinby  Smoker, 
by  his  practical  writings,  by  his  peculiar  hive,  and  by  the  theory — not 
fully  accepted  by  many — that  under  proper  favorable  circumstances  the 
liquid  part  of  honey  may  be  entirely  evaporated  in  the  body  of  the  bee. 

The  name  of  Rev.  L.  L.  Langstroth  is  a  household  word  with  every 
advanced  apiarian :     He  was  among  the  first  to  introduce  movable  comb 


218 


BIOGEAPHY   OP  BEE-KEEPEBS- 


KEY.  L.  L.    LANGSTEOTH. 


BIOGRAPHY  OF  BEE-KEEPEBS.  219 

hives  into  America,  taking  out  letters  patent  in  1852  for  the  hive  tha* 
still  bears  his  name.  It  embodies  the  oblong  frame  of  Major  Munn,  and 
the  box  of  Dr.  Bevan.  Involving  the  same  principles  it  is  decidedly  an 
improvement  in  mechanical  construction  upon  those  in  use  in  England. 
Mr.  Langstroth  deserves,  and  rightly  receives,  great  credit  for  his  perse- 
vering efforts  and  experiments  in  his  chosen  pursuit,  for  an  abundance 
of  pioneer  work,  for  his  zeal  in  introducing  Italian  bees,  and  improve- 
ments for  doing  so.  But  his  book  on  the  "Honey  Bee "  is  the  crown- 
ing work  of  his  life,  and  a  contribution  to  apistic  science,  which  will 
continue  to  live.  It  lacks  the  practical  character  of  Quinby's  work,  but 
is  far  superior  in  scientific  accuracy  and  beauty  of  expression  to  any 
American  work  which  has  yet  appeared,  or  probably  will  appear,  because 
henceforth  the  demand  is  for  something  more  practical. 

H.  A.  King  has,  perhaps,  done  more  than  any  other  man  in  America 
in  calling  the  attention  of  the  masses  to  the  importance  of  improved 
bee-culture.  His  American  Hive,  in  its  different  forms,  has,  we  think, 
been  used  more  extensively  than  any  other.  The  Bee-keepers  Jouma-j- 
commenced  in  1868,  with  a  circulation  of  two  thousand  copies,  at  one 
time  ran  up  to  near  thirty  thousand.  ' '  Hints  to  Bee-keepers  "  ran  up  to 
thirty  thousand  copies,  and  of  the  old  "Bee-keepers' Text  Book"  up  to 
the  present  time  there  has  been  sold  about  fifty-one  thousand  copies. 
This  work,  however,  was  largely  the  production  of  N.  H.  King,  deceased, 
who  was  one  of  the  real  pioneers  of  scientific  bee-keeping,  and  to  him 
the  intensely  practical  character  of  this  book  is  due. 

In  1874:  H.  A.  King,  in  connection  with  ourself  commenced  the  publi- 
cation of  the  Bee-Keepers'  Magazine,  and  in  1P75  he  retired  permanently 
from  the  bee-business  to  engage  more  fully  in  preaching  the  Gospel  and 
in  the  dissemination  of  religious  literature. 


220 


BIOGBAPHT   Cr  BEE-KEEPKBS. 


BEV.  H.  A.   KING. 


BIOGRAPHT   OT   BEE-KEEPERS. 


221 


Baron  Von  Berlepsch  at  first  violently  opposed  the  theories  of  Diierzon, 
but  having  by  experiment  proven  their  truth,  he  became  their  warmest 
advocate.  His  name  is  associated  vrithhis  movable  frame  hive  in  Ger- 
many, which  was  suggested  to  him  on  seeing  that  used  by  Pzierzon,  in 
1838.  It  was  invented  and  used  from  1840  to  1845,  when  he  greatly 
improved  it  by  leaving  space  between  the  frames  and  the  walls  of  the 


BARON   VON   BERLEPSCH. 


hive,  to  prevent  the  bees  from  gluing  them  fast.  They  were  in  all 
respects  the  same  as  the  majority  of  frames  now  in  use,  and  above  the 
frames  this  hive  had  an  air  space,  and  above  this,  a  perforated  top 
with  surplus  honey  receptacles.  He  used  this  till  1850,  when  he  added 
side  projections  to  the  frames,  and  described  the  same  in  the  Bienen- 


222 


BIOQBAPHY  OF  BHE-KEEPEBB. 


CAPTAIN   T.   E.  VON  SIEBOLD. 


BIOGUAPHY   OF   BEE-KKErEES.  223 

Zeitung,  for  May  1852.  It  has  been  adopted  as  the  standard  hive  by 
the  Italian  bee-keepers. 

Being  a  man  of  wealth  and  leisure  he  gave  much  attention  to  his 
favorite  subject.  His  last  book  on  bee  culture  is  said  to  be  one  of  the 
most  complete  ever  written. 

He  invited  Captain  T.  E.  Von  Siebold,  professor  of  zoology  and 
anatoray  in  tjae  University  of  Munich,  to  his  apiary  to  test  by  experiment 
the  theories  of  Dzierzon,  and  especially  those  connected  with  the  par- 
thenogenesis of  the  queen.  He  found  on  examination  that  the  parts  ad- 
hering to  a  young  queen  returning  to  her  hive  from  her  bridal 
tour  were  identical  with  the  male  organs  of  the  drone  ;  that  the 
spermatheca  of  the  queen  was  filled  with  the  seminal  fluid 
of  the  drone,  and  that  worker  eggs  were  accompanied  vriih. 
spermatozoa.  Prof.  Leuckart,  at  the  request  of  Baron  Berlepsch 
dissected  a  drone  laying  queen,  and  found  no  semen  in  the  spematheca, 
In  1852  Dr.  Jos.  Leidy,  of  Philadelphia,  dissected  a  queen  for  Mr. 
Langstroth,  with  the  same  results  as  with  Siebold.  These  two  facts 
prove  the  correctness  of  Dzierzon's  theory,  since  eggs  of  unfertilized 
queens  do  undoubtedly  hatch  and  produce  drones. 

In  closing  this  sketch  we  must  not  omit  to  mention  the  German  apiar- 
ian Von  Hrushka,  the  inventor  of  the  Honey  Extractor,  to  which  we  are, 
in  American  bee-keeping,  so  greatly  indebted.  lu  the  apiary  it  is  second 
to  none  of  the  important  discoveries,  in  practical  utility. 

Few  men  have  taken  a  deeper  interest  in  the  pioneer  work  of  bee- 
culture  than  Mr.  "W.  W.  Gary,  of  Colerain,  Massachusetts.  About  the 
year  1850  he  made  the  acquaintance  of  Mr.  Langslroth,  then  living  at 
Greenfield,  Mass,  and  spent  some  time  -w-ith  him  experimenting  with 
hives  and  bees.  The  greatest  confidence  and  friendship  has  always  ex- 
isted between  them.     Hearing  in  1860  of  the  successful  importation  of 


224  BIOGBAPHY  OF  BEE-KEEPERS. 


PBOF.   liEUOHABT. 


BIOGRAPHY  OF  BEE-KEEPERS. 


225 


a  few  Italian  bees  by  Mr.  Samuel  B.  Parsons,  of  Flushing,  New  York, 
Mr.  Gary  visited  him  and  spent  the  summer  with  him  in  rearing  and 
experimenting  with  Italian  bees.     Since  then  he  has  labored  to  dissemi- 
nate this  bee  in  purity. 
After  one  failure  Mr.  Gary  succeeded  in  procuring  a  colony  of  Egyp- 


W.    W-    GARY. 


tian  bees,  but  finding  them  inferior  to  the  Italians,  he  abandoned  them 
without  an  attempt  to  sell. 

Though  sixty-four  years  of  age  he  is  still  much  interested  in  the  in 
troduction  of  new  races  of  bees  and  iu  furthering  in  all  honorable  ways 
improvements  in  bee-culture. 


226  BIOGEAPHY   OF   BEB-KEEPEBS. 

Mrs.  Ellen  S.  Tupper  has  most  satisfactorily  proven  tliat  women  may 
successfully  follow  this  new  business.  With  great  industry  and  per- 
severance she  maintained  and  educated  her  large  family  mainly  by  bee. 
keeping.  A  close  observer  arid  pithy  writer,  she  has  done  much  to  at- 
tract attention  to  this  industry.  Misfortunes,  however,  have  followed 
her.  At  one  time  her  apiary  was  destroyed  by  a  hurricane.  A  few  years 
afterwards  her  house  was  burned  in  winter,  which  involved  the  loss  also 
of  all  her  bees,  as  they  were  wintering  in  the  cellar.  Heart-broken  and 
almost,  if  not  quite,  demented  by  losses  and  physical  prostration,  other 
troubles  thickened  around  her,  but  she  is  again  recovering  physically, 
mentally,  and  pecuniarily.  She  has  again  gathered  an  apiary,  and  with  a 
woman's  perseverance  amid  trials,  comes  forward  again  with  her  pen  to 
help  the  cause  she  loves.  It  was  Mrs.  Tupper  who  first  announced  sue. 
cess  in  artificial  fertilization  of  queens.  Though  pronounced  impossible 
her  statement  is  verified  by  recent  experiments. 

Foremost  among  German  apiarians  stands  Dzierzon,a  Koman  Catholic 
Priest,  of  Carlesmarkt,  in  Silesia.  In  1838  he  adopted  a  hive  with  movable 
bars  alone,  which  was  afterward  greatly  improved.  He  first  discovered  that 
bees  will  take  flour  instead  of  pollen  in  spring,  and  introduced  its  use, 
but  he  is  best  know  as  the  author  of  the  theory  of  the  "Parthenogene- 
sis of  the  Queen,"  so  long  derided,  but  now  thoroughly  established  and 
accepted.  His  improvements  and  remarkable  success  in  bee-culture 
attracted  great  attention  throughout  Germany  and  rapidly  created  a 
revolution  in  German  bee-keeping. 

Kev.  E.  Van  Slyke  is  well  known  to  the  readers  of  the 
bee  journals  of  America,  as  a  scientific  apiarist  of  the  most  progress- 
ive school.  He  commenced  in  New  York  City,  in  1867,  the  publication 
of  the  Ameyncan  Bee  Gazette.  It  was  through  its  foreign  columns  that 
American  bee-keepers  first  became  acquainted  with  the  honey  extractor 


SOIQBAPHY      OF  B££-KESF£BS» 


227 


BEV.  FATHEB   DZTEBZON 


228  BIOGRAPHY   OF   BEE-KEEPEBS. 

of  Von  Hruschka.  Two  articles  on  that  subject  published  in  two  suc- 
cessive numbers,  were  hailed  with  delight  and  apparent  sensation 
throughout  the  United  States.  When  Mr.  Samuel  Wagner,  after  the  late 
■war  of  the  rebellion,  resumed  the  publication  of  fhe  American  Bee 
Journal,  a  movement  was  made  for  consolidation,  which  resulted  in  the 
union  of  the  Gazette  and  Journal  and  afterwards  appeared  in  Washing- 
ton, D.  C,  under  the  name  of  American  Bee  Journal  and  Gazette.  Mr. 
Van  Slyke  never  dealt  harshly  with  the  supposed  discoverer  of  new 
facts  in  his  favorite  pursuit,  but  patiently  put  them  to  the  test  of  practical 
experiment,  and  so  soon  as  demonstrated  to  his  satisfaction,  gave  them 
to  the  people  through  the  journals  of  the  country.  He  was  an  ardent 
advocate  of  the  truth  of  Mrs.  Tupper  s  discover}'  of  the  posibility  of 
fertilizing  queen  bees  in  confinement,  now  so  fully  demonstrated,  and 
practised  by  Prof.  Hasbrouck. 

Before  closing  this  sketch  of  those  who  have  rendered  valuable  service 
to  apistic  science  by  their  writings  or  other  labors,  w^e  would  not  fail  to 
make  honorable  mention  of  J.  S.  Harbison,  Adair,  Dr.  Metcalf,  Prof.  A. 
J.  Cook,  Mr.  A  I.  Koot,  Mr.  T.  G.  Newman,  all  of  whom  have  added 
largely  to  the  modern  literature  of  this  subject.  While  Harbison  and 
Eoot,  with  J.  E.  Hetherington,  Adam  Grimm,  Doolittle,  Nellis,  Clark, 
Hosmer,  C.  J.  Quinby,  T.  F.  Bingham,  and  a  host  of  others,  -C^hose 
names  our  limits  forbid  mention,  but  whose  faithful  labors  are  worthy 
of  all  praise,  have  demonstrated,  in  the  shape  of  tons  of  honey,  the 
entire  correctness  of  the  new  theories  of  successful  bee  management^ 
and  to  whom  we  still  look  for  yet  new  discoveries  in  this  fruitful  field 

In  mentioning  names  we  make  no  invidious  distinction,  but  urge  all 
to  activity  in  developing  the  rich  honey  resources  of  our  land  as  they 
reveal  themselves  in  the  blooming  fiowers. 


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